Howl of the Moon
by HR Acton
Summary: MWPP: James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Peter and others begin their first year at Hogwarts. They become good friends, but it seems that one of them is hiding something. **ALL (11) CHAPTERS NOW UP** PLEASE R/R!!
1. Chapter One: The Boy Wolf, The Boy Wizar...

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff. 

****

Chapter 1: The Boy Wolf, The Boy Wizard

"Remus, we've got great news!" Came the voice of a mother.

"What?" Responded a boy. He was standing in his sitting room, looking out a great window at the forest.

"There's going to be a new headmaster at Hogwarts this year. He's going to reverse your denial!" Remus suddenly perked up.

"What? How? Have they found a cu-" His mother shook her head.

"They're going to accommodate for a secret safe-house for you. You're going to be at Hogwarts!"

About one year later, Arthur Potter looked over his morning paper. The sound of mail coming through the slot startled him. His son James, however, seemed to take no notice. He was lying on the couch, eyes open, looking quite sullen. 

"James, why don't you fetch the mail? You could've gotten it today." His father said, with a great smile in attempts to cheer his son up. James got up, his black, untidy hair sticking straight into the air.

"Doubt it." His father did too, though he didn't show it. It had been much farther into the summer than when he got his letter. But his father was ever hopeful.

"Now James, don't say that...maybe there was a delay-"

"Oh, come off it, Dad. I haven't so much as made a speck of dust hover, why _should_ they send me anything?" James crossed his arms.

"Just because you don't show it doesn't mean you're not a wizard! You're probably just slow to learn. Once you get a wand in your hand and have a few lessons, you'll be as good a wizard as any. Now, go fetch the mail." Mr. Potter said authoritatively, returning the paper to his face. James humphed, and headed out of the room, his feet hitting the floor a little harder than usual. He made his way towards the foyer, where the mail lay on the floor, and picked it up.

Bills...bills...ah, a letter from Sirius. James immediately recognized his handwriting. James chuckled. Only he would write 'Comfy Bedroom' as a part of the address. He cheered up for a moment; letters from Sirius usually had that effect on him. But then he thought, this would probably be all about him going to _that_ school...He sighed and walked back into the room where his father was reading the paper, flopping the bills down on the table in front of him, then sitting back down on the couch.

"What's that? Is it from Hogwarts?"

"No," James replied scathingly "just a post from Sirius."

"Ah...well, it will come...eventually..." Mr. Potter trailed off, hopefully.

"Sure, sure." James nodded absentmindedly, ripping the seal off the back of his letter, throwing it aside. He started. Why would Sirius put a seal on his letter? Ah, well, James thought, he's such goofball....

He slipped out the contents, which, rather than a piece of paper, were two pieces of parchment. "Wha-" But he soon realized what it was. His father had screamed, picking up the seal, and James had opened one of the pieces of parchment. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

__

of WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

-

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide) One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) 

Please note it is requested that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags 

James, however, had only read the first portion. He realized what it was, and grabbed the other piece of parchment. "'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," James read aloud. His father was in tears now. "Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards.'" James looked up at his father for a moment, as if to ask what a mugwump is, but he was too excited, and put his head back down, and continued reading. 

"'Dear Mister Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, blah blah blah, term begins September 1!'" He looked up, then jumped into his father's arms.

"Haha! I knew it! I knew you'd be a wizard!" Mr. Potter said jumping up and down, just like his son.

"I have to...send to Sirius...get my things...start learning-"

"James, first we'll need to send a reply saying you'll be coming-what does it say at the end of the letter?" James looked down.

"'We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Byron V. Scuro, Deputy Headmaster.' Wow, Dad! I can't believe it!"

"Alright, I'll send the letter to Hogwarts with Donnel, meanwhile, you can send a post to Sirius, to tell him and ask him if he'll come with us to Diagon Alley to get your things!"

"Can I use Eille?"

"You can have your own! But of course for now, yes, use Eille!" Mr. Potter said, his excitement still visible. The two of headed to the attic where the owls lived. James began to write one immediately to attach to Eille, a big barn owl. He quickly scribbled onto a piece of parchment:

__

Dear Sirius,

I've just gotten my letter from Hogwarts! Now we'll be together! My dad wants to know if you want to come to Diagon with us today, I know you've already gotten your things, but we'll visit the ice cream shop or something. Want to come? Please do!

James

James quickly attached the letter, and sent Eille off, watching it go along the rows of houses. With that, they headed downstairs, to wait for Sirius's reply, Mr. Potter returning to his paper, Harry reading his supply list over and over again.

When Eille arrived fifteen minutes later, James jumped up, ripped the reply out of its beak, and carefully read it.

__

Dear James,

That's great! I can't believe it! I really did think you wouldn't get it, but I guess I was wrong. Sure, I'd love to come, I'll be at your house soon!

Sirius 

And it seemed Sirius had followed Eille quickly. In a few moments Sirius was at his doorstep, and James saw the Black's muggle-car pull away. Sirius Black was as tall as James, and shaggy, fine hair was all over his head, messy as James's, though not nearly as eager to stand up for company. 

"Hiya, James!" James responded in like as Mr. Potter came into the foyer.

"Excellent," said Mr. Potter, rubbing his hands together, "By floo then?" With that Sirius and James followed Mr. Potter to the fireplace in the family room, and did as he did, grabbing a handful of the powder. 

"Now, Sirius, you know how to go by floo?"

"O'course, Mr. Potter!"

"And you know it, of course, James?" He simply nodded.

"Great! Sirius, why don't you go first?" With that Sirius threw the powder into the newly lit flames, stepped in, and yelled-

"_Diagon Alley!_" With that said, he flew off, feeling a rush of wind through his hair, tucking his body in as far as he could, to make sure he didn't hit anything. He landed softly in another fireplace, and, stepping out, realized he was in Flourish and Blotts, the wizard schoolbook store. Sirius looked around, spotting the books he'd purchased a week ago. He heard a 'thwumpf' and turned around to see James smiling and stepping out. In a few more moments Mr. Potter stepped out from the large fireplace.

"Well, since we're already here, you two can go about finding James's books, I'll go get some gold from the vault, and we'll meet back here, okay?" They nodded. With a swish of a cloak, and a jingle of a bell, he had left James Potter and Sirius Black alone in a shop.

Remus Lupin, rather weary looking, sat grumpily at his dining room table. Despite his very tired look, it was also obvious he was wealthy. He had perfectly trimmed, silky brown hair, his robes were of the finest class. 

"Quunquam?" Immediately, a small, pink elf appeared at the boy's side. 

"Some juice, then?" The elf nodded silently, and scampered off.

"Do you know what today is?" The boy asked himself. "Today is-or rather _tonight_ is the full moon. You know what that means Remus? It means you'll be doing it again. Boarded up, in the basement, losing your mind to that of a wolf's." A tear came to his eye, as he sighed and put his head in his hands. "It hurts so much!" Remus was now crying outright. He pounded the table and screamed, 

"I'll die like this! I'll die a crummy werewolf! Just because when I was younger, younger and dumber, I had to go off and wander into a forest!" He pounded his fist on the table a few more times. "Why, Remus? Why did you have to-" But his soliloquy was cut short.

"Your pumpkin juice, sir." Remus suddenly caught himself, stopped crying, and grabbed the goblet from the pink house elf. 

"Oh, Quunquam...I didn't see you there."

"I is sorry, Master Remus, sir, I should not have interrupted you." The elf then immediately started smashing its head against the floor.

"Quunquam! No! Stop! It's okay, you don't have to hit yourself." The elf bowed graciously and exited. Remus sipped his juice and looked outside. It would only be a few hours before that pain would refresh itself in Remus's mind and body. He finished off the juice, got up, and headed out of the room. He would go and sit around all his Hogwarts things, which seemed to bring him comfort.

*

James was now sitting at a table with Sirius and his father, wearing his first robes, looking at his cauldron full of cloaks, gloves, books, ingredients, bottles of ink, some lavish looking quills, an owl for James named Llanpeter, and other things. He bit into the last of his ice cream cone, and smiled very brightly at his best friend.

"Well, now, just for your wand!" Mr. Potter said, wiping his mouth, and throwing the napkin into the wastebasket. Sirius and James followed suit, and headed off towards Ollivander's Wand Shop. Sirius just now pulled his own wand out of his cloak and showed it to James. 

"11 inches. Oak, with dragon heartstring. Mister Ollivander says its good for hexes and jinxes, but my mum nearly tried to make him get me a new one when she heard." Sirius laughed, then examined it closer. "Whaddya think yours'll be?" James shrugged.

"I dunno. Let's see." It was then that they found themselves in front of Ollivander's, and were quickly inside.

"Hello, Mister Ollivander!" Mr. Potter said jovially. "We're here for James's wand!"

"Ah yes!" Said Mr. Ollivander, who had just finished selling a 101/4-inch willow wand to a young, red haired girl. "I remember as if it were yesterday, your wand, Mr. Potter. 12 inches, cedar, unicorn hair core, particularly fine wand for conjuring, am I correct?" Mr. Potter nodded, smiling, and elbowing James slightly.

"And you, young lad, you were just in here a week ago! But now its James's turn." He said turning to the young Potter.

"Let's see...let's see...first to measure you!" Mr. Ollivander started jamming his tape measure all around James, measuring everything he possibly could on him. "Your wand hand?"

"Right." James quickly replied.

"Excellent." He now handed James a wand. "Swish it, James." And James did so, but quickly Mr. Ollivander whipped it out of his hand and replaced it with a new one. "Try this one. A bit like your friends there, I'll be surprised, 11 inches, mahogany, also dragon heartstring. Give it a whirl." So, as he instructed, James whipped his hand, and, much to his surprise, and Mr. Ollivander's, he sent a jet of sparks out from it. He could feel its warmth in his fingers.

"Oh, me, oh my! What a shock, to have friends with such similar wands! Well, it does mean you to are very good friends, very alike you are..." 

James and Sirius looked at each other mischievously. Then, without warning, a blast shook the ground. Mr. Potter grimaced, then turned to Mr. Ollivander as if nothing happened.

"Five galleons, then?" He said.

"Oh, er, yes, five galleons." Mr. Ollivander seemed to not be so unruffled. Sirius and James simply looked outside, to see the wake of 10 Dungbombs blasting off in Flourish and Blotts. They both chuckled. 

"Boys. Outside." Mr. Potter quickly rushed them out, and sat them at a table, outside the Apothecary. 

"Nice one!" He said with devilish smile, just like the two boys. They all laughed loudly, giving each other high-fives. "Now let's get out of here!" The three of them went quickly to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, stepped into the fire, and were back home. Mrs. Potter was standing with a disapproving look. 

"You lot've been causing trouble again, have you?" She said, hands at her hips. "And Arthur, I thought we said you wouldn't take James to Diagon if he wasn't going to be a wizard?" She hushed her voice as she spoke to her husband.

"But he is!" He said, jumping again. "He is a wizard! And look!" Mr. Potter showed his wife the letter, seal, and the envelope. She screamed.

"He's a wizard! He is!" She hugged James tightly, but he soon wriggled out of her embrace, and dashed upstairs, waving for Sirius to follow.

"Stay the night Sirius?" James asked spotting the now dark sky, and full moon outside. 

"Of course!" Sirius said. Mr. Potter was soon upstairs to conjure a squashy sleeping bag and pillow for Sirius, and the two, Hogwarts-bound boys tucked themselves in, both tightly gripping their wands. James lay there, staring into the moon. He almost admired it...His thoughts were interrupted by Sirius,

"So, James, how does it feel to be a wizard?" Sirius asked, holding his wand like a microphone.

"Words don't describe." James smiled, leaned back on his own pillow, and drifted off. James Potter, a wizard.


	2. Chapter Two: The Sorting Hat

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 2: The Sorting

"Do you love her more?" Said a small blonde girl to her mother.

"No, Petunia, I don't." The mother turned to her other, older, daughter. 

"Mum?"

"Yes, Lily?"

"Where is it?" Lily asked. The mother looked up from Petunia. "It said 'nine and three-quarters'. There's nine...there's ten...where's nine and three-quarters?" The mother took Petunia over to where Lily was, and looked up. "Well, you just walk on through between them, Lily. I'm sorry, I really have to go, you'll get it, don't worry." With that the mother took Petunia into her car and drove off. Lily turned to the barrier, between nine and ten. Just walk on through...no problem. You can do this, Lily thought. You can do _anything._ She took a hold of her cart, which held her trunk, and her cat, and started off. She walked at a steady pace, towards the barrier. She sped up, a group of tourists covered from view as she came nearer...nearer...

WHAM.

"Ouch!" Lily stood up, expecting to still be in King's Cross...but she wasn't. She hadn't collided with the barrier...she'd collided with a boy, trying to cross as well. The two stood up.

"Come on, move over, Sirius'll be coming through..." Just as he said it, another boy strolled through the barrier. The two boys took off towards the Hogwarts Express, and she followed. There was a beautiful scarlet train, steam pouring out of its stack, people getting onto it at every compartment. They piled into the first empty compartment, taking one look at her, wondering if she would join them. But, she saw the next compartment, full of girls her age, and joined it. 

"S'pose she's a first year, James?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, she is, we saw her at Ollivander's, remember?"

"Oh, that was her?"

"Yeah." Sirius noted that James was looking through the ajar door, trying to get a better look at her.

"Huh. Hey, we're leaving!" Sirius and James braced as the train started off, around a corner, and almost immediately into the countryside. 

"Into our robes, then?" James asked.

"Yeah, sure, may as well now." So they closed both doors and changed into their big, black robes. James reached behind him, and started looking into his _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_. He stuck his wand out from behind it. 

"_Avis._" He muttered. With a pop, a single feather shot out from his wand. Sirius applauded. 

"Excellent! James, you're already magicking! And you couldn't do a thing a few weeks ago!"

"Well, it was supposed to be a _flock_ of _birds_, not just one feather..." He re-buried himself in his book, and Sirius did likewise. After a few hours of studying, a pudgy witch came by with a cart full of snacks. James and Sirius decided they could stop studying, eat, and relax by practicing making trouble. After finishing a few Cauldron Cakes, they started to play chess. However, halfway through their game-

"Shut up, you slimy git!" Came a voice through the door. 

"I wouldn't talk, you withered fool!" James looked at Sirius.

"What do you think is going on over there?"

"I don't know, James." The two of them walked through the open door. A well dressed, but weary looking boy was arguing heatedly with a bent over, sneering boy. They both appeared to be first-years like James and Sirius.

The weary boy turned to James and said, "Do you mind if I join your compartment? This one's really annoying me!" James shrugged and nodded. They accompanied the boy back to their compartment, and, to James's and Sirius's surprise, another boy was seated in it.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize there were others in here..." He started to get up, as if to leave.

"No, its ok!" James held out his hand. "James Potter." The boy shook his hand, looking relieved.

"My name's P-Pettigrew. P-Peter Pettigrew."

"Sirius Black." Sirius said offering his hand.

"We never did catch your name...." James said, turning to the other boy.

"Remus, Remus Lupin." He said shaking everyone's hand.

"Well, back to our game eh, Sirius?" James noticed the pieces seemed to be quite angry with their players for ignoring them. They were so angry, in fact, that Sirius's pawn refused to move forward, and rather his Queen made a move that checkmated James's King.

"_What?_"

"Haha! I win!" Sirius shouted.

"No you don't! You didn't even make that move! Your Queen did it on her own!" Sirius raised a finger.

"But, nonetheless!" Sirius laughed, James scowled. "It doesn't really matter," Sirius said, calming, and sitting back down. "I would have had you soon...Queen's Gambit, you know..." Remus and Peter looked at him with awe. Suddenly the chessboard became like a bowl, all the pieces falling inanimately inside, and then the chessboard returned to its normal shape.

"You can beat me at anything, James. Anything but chess...." He stood again. The girl from Ollivander's had just walked in.

"Excuse me, but were you two just playing chess?" She asked, pointing at the empty board.

"Er, yeah, we were."

"Why?" James asked curiously.

"Lily Evans," she said, shaking James's hand. "I just didn't think there were that many other first-years who played chess. Wizard or muggle."

"James Potter. This is Sirius Black, best chess player this side of Hogsmeade." Sirius waved, blushing. "Oh, and this is Remus Lupin, and this is Peter Pettigrew." Lily waved at them, then looked at Sirius as if to challenge.

"A game then?" Sirius looked at her slightly frightened, slightly determined to whoop her.

"Alright, you're on. Want to be black or-" But Sirius was interrupted. The train was slowing rapidly.

"Oh! We're stopping! I'm still in muggle clothes! I've to get my robes on!" She dashed back into the girl's compartment. 

"Sneak a peak?" Sirius pointed towards the door, and winked mischievously.

"Nah," said James, waving his hand, "I like her." Sirius laughed, but caught James's look, and stopped.

When the train stopped completely, Lily returned to the compartment, robed, blushing slightly. 

"Still on for that match, Sirius?" She asked.

"But of course!" 

"Firs' years this way!" Came a voice from outside. The 5 stepped out to see a man looming over all of them, even the seventh-years. He was younger looking, in his 20's, but he was certainly an extremely large man in his 20's. He led them down a dark path, and around a bend. 

Suddenly a burst of 'Whoa!'s came as Hogwarts Castle came into view. There was a lake, however, between them, and 10 small rowboats.

"Four ter a boat!" With that, Sirius and James stepped into a boat, closely tailed by Remus. Peter saw where they were and practically knocked Lily out of the way to hop in.

"Er..." James seemed to think she was slightly hurt, but she simply shrugged and sat in a boat with 3 other girls.

"Forward!" The gigantic man shouted. The boats followed his command, and shot forward across the glass-like lake. 

They passed into a hole in a large cliff, ivy hung down a few feet above their heads. They docked at a harbor, then walked up to the front door. The man turned, scanning to check the students were all there, then turned on the massive oak door. He raised his fist, and knocked on it three times. 

"The boy is late! He was supposed to be on the train! They'll suspect..."

"No they won't! You have influence, Velemonde. I have power."

"At Durmstrang, Tom! And please...call me Ian...we don't know who could be listening..." Velemonde said in a suddenly hushed voice.

"I sense fear in you, Velemonde." Tom suddenly sneered at a bird on the sill, making it flutter off.

"What do you think you're playing at? You can't pull that on me, Tom. You know you need me!"

"You don't seem to think so, Velemonde."

"You need Durmstrang, whether or not you can have Hogwarts! The mountains, we have the giants, the cold, we have Dementors, and we have the Durmstrang student body. To take Durmstrang, you'll need me, and you know it. Now, is the boy ready? I'll have trouble smoothing this out...."

"You tell me, Velemonde...."

"My part of it is finished. Is yours?"

"It is now. He may go. If he fails, Velemonde...."

"Just don't forget Durmstrang...." Tom and Velemonde walked in opposite directions.

The massive doors opened to reveal a short, dark haired and bearded wizard, wearing scarlet robes. He nodded briskly to the large man, and led the students through the massive Entrance Hall, turning them into a small chamber. They all stood, the body of students seemed to be shaking nervously as one. The short wizard turned sharply to face them and began talking at once.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Said the man "my name is Professor Scuro, I am the Deputy Headmaster here at Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted in your houses." He said, he spoke as if he was reading off a sheet of paper. "The Sorting is very important. It will shape the rest of your years here at Hogwarts. Your houses will be your families. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own hist'ry and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your good deeds will earn your house points, while any _bad_ ones will lose your house some points. It is very hard to face your fellow students after you just lost them a lot of points." Scuro said, glancing at everyone seriously. "At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup. Aside from maybe the House Quidditch championship, this is the greatest honor a house can recieve. I hope each of you will be the greatest of service to your houses when it comes to the points.

"Now that all that official stuff is done, the Sorting will be in a few moments. Try to get ready for the _test_. It's a real hard'n." He smiled oddly at them and walked off looking quite happy with himself. Half the students nearly fainted at the words that the test would be hard. James immediately started muttering incantations under his breath. 

"Avis...wingardium leviosa...occoverdis...." Sirius chuckled at the last one.

"James, whatever the test may be, I doubt it will include turning your eyes green...." he chuckled again. But James simply ignored him and kept on refreshing spells in his mind.

Once again Sirius decided James was right and started practicing spells himself. He heard Lily doing the same. Remus however was drawing blanks on all the spells he'd done in the train and Peter was shaking so violently his wand kept falling out of his hand. But before anyone had made much of any progress-

"We're ready for you! This way, into a line. Let's _go_!" With that Professor Scuro led them out. James had lined up between Remus and Sirius, he turned back to see Lily 5 persons back. Scuro led them across the hall, through a pair of massive double doors, and up in front of the head table, where it looked like all the teachers sat. They stood, facing the four main tables of students, James assumed it was the tables for the four houses. Professor Scuro immediately brought out a stool, and on top of it placed a very old looking hat. 

"I hope we have to make it levitate, I know that one." Sirius heard James mutter. Sirius gulped. _He_ hadn't practiced that one...he was just now beginning to get nervous. Why hadn't he prepared for it like James had? But Sirius's thoughts were soon interrupted-

_"Oh, I'm quite an ancient hat,_

But that doesn't mean a thing,

I've got more brains than many of you,

And I can even sing.

The young folk that you are,

I'm here to Sort you all,

Whether you're short and fat

Or skinny and tall

I'll decide which house is yours

Based on the thoughts I read

I can read all of them,

So you best take heed.

Do you belong in Hufflepuff?

There lie the moral strong

Or maybe yours is Ravenclaw,

Who sings the wisest song 

Gryffindor could be yours,

If you're brave and keen

Slytherin is just for you

If your end justifies your means! 

So flop me down right on your head,

So you can be Sorted just like that,

Then join your table right away 

_For I am the Sorting Hat!"_

The hat had been singing. Everyone immediately started clapping; even the nervous first-years. The hat bowed then became still as a normal hat.

Sirius felt a little better about not having to do a spell, though James, he noticed, seemed to be quite unnerved by it.

"What house are you hoping for?" Sirius whispered, turning to James.

"I'll be Gryffindor, my whole family has been." Said Remus.

"I heard Hufflepuff's the best, everyone wants to get into it." Said Lily.

"I heard no one wants to be in Gryffindor, I'll probably end up there." Said Peter sadly. Remus took offense to this however, and scowled at Peter.

"When I call your name, put on the hat and take a seat on the stool. You'll be sorted then." Came Professor Scuro's voice. "Aeber, James!"

A tall red haired boy came forward and put on the hat. He sat down. Nothing happened. He sat for nearly two minutes before, finally-

"RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left exploded into cheers as James Aeber sat down there.

"Barrons, Zachary!"

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled after a few moments on his head. Sirius knew what was next-

"Black, Sirius!" Sirius confidently stepped forward and thrust the hat over his eyes.

"Hmmm, toughy. You're brilliant you are, wouldn't be bad in Ravenclaw, though your bravery would make you an exemplary Gryffindor...yes that's it. GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius realized that the whole school had heard the last word, and saw the far-left table clapping and cheering. He walked over there, as "Brown, Dhelia" was being sorted. He noticed she too, became a Gryffindor. After a few more names came-

"Evans, Lily!" Lily walked forward, slightly nervous, and popped it on her head, gripping the sides of the stool.

"Hmm, you've got brains. But you've got courage, daring, bravery. Very cunning I see. A lot of all four founders in you. A lot of Salazar Slytherin especially..." Lily bit her lip. "Oh, yes, I see. Well, there are others who are more Slytherin than you, so, definitely GRYFFINDOR!" Lily blushed a little and became the second new girl at the Gryffindor table.

Next came Flatley, then Farrings...Garrett...Hannet... Icana...after a few more came-

"Lupin, Remus!" Remus strode to the hat proudly, donned it, and sat confidently on the stool.

"Ah, a family man. Many Lupins have put me on their head...yes, yes; you seem to show the same qualities your ancestors did. Easily GRYFFINDOR!" Remus got up, not surprised, and headed over to the Gryffindor table happily. A few more names went by, then:

"Pettigrew, Peter!" Peter was shaking head to toe as he placed the hat on his head. 

"Hmmm. You're not the sharpest one...not exactly brave either...certainly too meager to be a Slytherin...maybe Hufflepuff?"

_Yes! Yes!_ thought Peter.

"No, I see quite a bit of a _lack_ of loyalty in your future. I guess its GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius, Lily, and Remus clapped as Peter came in and flopped down on a chair next to Sirius and a tall, older student, who seemed to look as if he was disappointed Peter had become a Gryffindor.

"Potter, James!" James gulped, then stepped forward. In a swift action he seated himself and put the hat on. James heard a small voice.

"Well, this is simple. Everything is perfect. Yes, yes, GRYFFINDOR!" James smiled, and put the hat back down on the chair, walking coolly to the Gryffindor table. 

"It barely touched your head!" whispered Lily and Sirius in unison. 

"I know! It seemed like I was destined for Gryffindor!" James said, chuckling, as "Snape, Severus" became a Slytherin. James, Remus, and Sirius all quickly recognized him as the one Remus was arguing with on the train earlier. 

"What were you arguing about anyway, Remus?" Sirius said, turning towards James and Remus. 

"Gryffindor versus Slytherin. We both knew which house we were going to, we were arguing about it. He won't believe that Slytherin is a bunch of slimy, dark-wizards-in-training." Remus explained. Their attention however turned to the Sorting. There was only one boy left, surrounded by more girls. He stepped forward at the mention of his name-

"Synwyd, Allyn!" A brown-haired boy placed the hat on his head and seated himself. After just a moment-

"GRYFFINDOR!" He came and sat across from Remus, Sirius and James, between Peter and Lily. James stared for a moment. He was the first new male Gryffindor James didn't already know. But he quickly realized there must be people he didn't know, however much it disappointed him.

At last there was only one girl remaining. Professor Scuro started-

"Vedol-er" He looked at the girl, reading her nametag. He looked back at the list. He looked at the man seated in the center of the teacher's table. It was at this point James, Sirius, Lily, Remus, and Peter noticed them. James quickly came to the conclusion that the man was Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class. He had a long silvery beard and a cheery look upon his face. It however became less cheery. Professor Scuro walked forward and began whispering quickly to Dumbledore, and the tiny man seated next to him. The four tables burst into whispers, about who this girl may be. But it was all silenced; both the student's whisperings as well as the teachers, when the doors to the Great Hall burst open. 

"Yes, Hagrid?" Professor Scuro said, loud enough for the man at the doors to hear. It was the same massive man that had brought the first years across the lake to the main doors.

"Another student fer ya." Hagrid walked forward to the front table, a pale looking student in tow. Hagrid said a few whispered things to Dumbledore, Scuro and the tiny wizard and sat down at the end seat to Dumbledore's right. Professor Scuro cleared his throat.

"Vedol, Ian." The boy stepped forward from the line in which he had been for only a moment. He sat down slowly, placing the hat carefully on his head, shivering slightly. After a few moments, the hat had made its decision-

"SLYTHERIN!" Ian looked quite relieved to be chosen for Slytherin, and sat down between two thuggish looking 5th years. After "Yanna, Catherine!" ("HUFFLEPUFF!") Professor Dumbledore stood up raising his wand for silence as Professor Scuro took the stool and Hat away.

"Another year at Hogwarts has begun," said Professor Dumbledore. "We're here to learn another year's worth of things...but first, dinner!" Dumbledore flashed his wand and the most delicious looking food seen appeared on all the tables.

"Alright!" Sirius said as he dug into some potatoes. Remus jammed roast beef into his mouth while James, Peter, and Allyn simultaneously raided a dish full of chicken. Lily simply couldn't decide on what to eat.

"There's so much food!" But she couldn't hold out much longer and grabbed the sausages closest to her. After the most delicious meal they all had eaten, Dumbledore returned to his feet once again.

"A few more notices now that we've all been fed and watered." He said as Remus was still clinging to an empty Jell-O cup, attempted to lick out the last scraps of green gelatin. "First-years should note that the forest is out-of-bounds to all. Quidditch trials for second-years and above are to be held in two weeks, please see Professor Marus. We have a new staff member as well." The older students looked as though they had been wondering who the strange person at the teachers' table was.

"Professor Vanic, the Charms teacher last year, has retired, and our Arithmancy teacher, who was in his first year last year, Professor Flitwick, has stepped up to teach Charms, as well as take over for Professor Vanic as head of Ravenclaw." There was a loud applause, mostly just Ravenclaw students, as the short professor seated next to Professor Dumbledore stood up. "We have hired a new teacher to take over Arithmancy for Professor Flitwick, Professor Vector." Dumbledore continued as Professor Flitwick seated himself again. A very young looking woman at the end of the table stood up briefly, as there was scattered applause from the four tables.

Professor Dumbledore turned to Professor Scuro, who seated on his right. He mumbled something to him, and Scuro shook his head. Dumbledore returned his gaze to the student body. 

"Well, Professor Scuro tells me that do not have time to sing the school song,"-the whole school groaned-"So off to bed for all of you!" Dumbledore flicked his hands to send them off and the students rose.

"Gryffindor this way!" James heard an older student say. He had a shiny 'P' badge on his chest. 

"This way guys." James said, pointing his friends in the direction of the prefect. They marched a complicated series of stairways, up and down, through holes behind portraits until finally reaching a corridor with the picture of a fat lady in a pink frilly dress on.

"Password?" She said airily. 

"Flaky Bags-Wagon." said the prefect, and the picture creaked open, to reveal a short hallway leading to a room. He led the Gryffindor students into a comfy looking common room, full of soft looking chairs and complete with a large fireplace. 

"Now, right to bed, you lot," The prefect said, shooing two older looking students out of the chairs, and up one of the staircases. "First years up these stairs, come on now." The prefect ushered them up one of the staircases to a room that was there dormitory; five four-posters with red curtains, their trunks at the foot of each. James walked to the window, looking out onto the grounds. There was the lake, the forest, and an odd looking hole in the ground. James sat himself on his bed, the center one, contemplating going through the hassle of putting his pajamas on. He finally decided to, and went to the foot of his bed and changed. He almost flopped on his bed when he realized no one else had.

"What're you looking most forward to, James?" Asked Sirius. James opened his eyes.

"Ah, Transfiguration. That's the stuff, Mr. Ollivander said its what my wand is best at." Remus nodded. "And I read a blurb in my Transfig' book about Animagi, people who can turn into animals." Remus suddenly looked quite pale. Sirius changed the subject, thinking maybe Remus's uncle or someone had died in an Animagus experiment gone wrong or something like that.

"Well, I can't wait for Potions, antidotes and poisons and that." Remus smiled, and said:

"I think I'm going to like Astronomy, I know a lot about it already. Not to mention, I heard the teacher is Professor Marus, the Gryffindor head of house. He'll probably know my whole family."

"Well," said Allyn, speaking for the first time. "I'm going to like Defense against the Dark Arts, you can never be too safe you know...." James reached out his hand.

"James Potter." Allyn smiled and shook his hand.

"Allyn Synwyd." He said. "You all know each other?" Sirius nodded, but just then came a voice.

"Get to bed boys, first day's tomorrow!" James agreed to them, and decided they should get to bed. James finally flopped comfortably on his bed, between Remus and Sirius. He was finally getting it that he was a wizard, and had magical powers. He drifted off as he had the night he had Sirius sleep over, happy to be a Gryffindor. James Potter, a Gryffindor.


	3. Chapter Three: The Whomping Willow

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 3: The Whomping Willow

James grunted, eyes shut tight.

"Get up, Jimmy!" James shot his eyes open to see Remus shaking him to wake him up.

"Do _not_ call me Jimmy, Remus." Remus gulped.

"Sorry. Well, get up!" James sat up, looking at his clock.

"Remus, its seven o'clock! Our first class isn't for two hours!"

"I know, but I figure since its our first day, we should get up and be prepared!" James nodded. Suddenly his eyes widened.

"Is Sirius up?" Remus shook his head.

"I think Allyn's going to-" James shot out of bed and grabbed Allyn by the shoulders as he reached for the curtains around Sirius's bed.

"No! Sirius is _not_ a morning person. I think I'm the only one who can wake him up early and get away with my life, considering how long I've known him. I will." So Allyn woke Peter up, and James woke Sirius, though he wouldn't stop whacking James grumpily on the shoulder until they reached the common room. The prefect who led them to bed last night was standing there, grinning at them.

"Hello, there!" He said cheerily. "M' name's Evus, Evus McQuent. I'm one of th' prefects of Gryffindor. So, you lot're new, eh?"

"Yeah, we're first years." Said James.

"Great! Would you like a briefing on yer classes?" James shrugged, and they all nodded.

"Great! Now, let's see your schedule..." Evus grabbed the schedule Remus held out.

"Hmmm....Herbology. Easy class, really, not many test or assignments, mostly interactive stuff.... The Professor is Friar Arus, head of Hufflepuff. Really nice guy.... Charms. Well, you've heard, it's Professor Flitwick, I had him for Arithmancy last year, he's a good guy too, Charms is a very fun class, you're not missing much now that Vanic's gone. Let's see, oh, Transfig'ration...that's McGonagall, she's sorta strict, but she's ok. She's pretty new, and'll probably be head of Gryffindor once that old codga', Marus, retires. Astronomy, yep, that's Marus, he's the worst teacher easily. M' friend, Jack, fell asleep during Astro' at midnight once, he never forgave 'im." James gulped.

"Potions, that's always fun. Scuro's the teacher o' that, he's head of Slytherin, too, but he's not a bad guy. Dark Arts, that's Eric. Er, to you, Professor Longbottom. He gets ter know ya real well, and vice versa. He tells us he's got two kids, Mary 'n Frank. Wife, Marcy. Brother Algie. In fact, now that I think o' vit...Mary's in yer classes, she's a first-year here as well....I wonder if he'll be teachin' 'er...well I'd ask 'im, but I don't have him this year. I'm taking Advanced Defense, and Dumbledore teaches that." Remus suddenly looked at his watch.

"Hey! We've only got an hour until Herbology!" Remus yelled.

"Ach, sorry t' keep ya! G'head, g' eat breakfast." Evus turned to a group of first year girls who had just come down. James was quick to notice Lily wasn't one of them.

James led the guys down to the Great Hall, where he saw Lily eating, a book propped open in front of her.

"Hullo, Lily." He said sitting down across from her, while Peter and Allyn sat on each side of her, Remus and Sirius on his sides.

"Hello boys." She said sweetly. "How're you doing this morning?"

"Excellent." Said Sirius quite grumpily and sarcastically.

"Herbology first, eh? Evus tells me it's taught by Friar Arus." Lily said, stuffing a sausage into her mouth.

"You met Evus?" Sirius said, stuffing an equal amount of sausage into his own.

"Yes. He said he was going to talk to all the Gryffindor first-years about their classes. Awfully nice of him."

"Oh. Wew, whuddya fink uff Pwofefer Wongbo'om? Wiff his dau'er in Gwiffiner?" Everyone stared at Sirius silently. 

"Oh!" He swallowed his food. "What do you think of Professor Longbottom? You think he'll be our teacher, with his daughter in Gryffindor?"

"The school policy is that no teacher can teach a relation. So we won't have him." Lily said in a sure, know-it-all voice.

"Where'd you get that?" James said.

"It was in a book my mum got for me, _A Handbook for Students and Teachers_ so I didn't accidentally break any rules here. I read the teacher's section too." 

"I heard Professor Vanic's going to teach Defense!" A girl only Lily knew said, sitting down next to Allyn. A flurry of owls came in, though none to anyone sitting near Sirius and the rest.

"Oh, hi Mary. Guys, this is Mary Longbottom." They all waved.

"Oh, yeah, my dad told me that he won't be teaching us, so it might be Professor Vanic, that guy that retired! What do you think?" She said, looking to Peter.

"Oh...er, I agree with James." He said quickly, putting his head down.

"I didn't say anything, Peter."

"Oh, yeah, well...I think it'll be Vanic, yeah." He blushed and put his head down lower, nearly into his porridge. At that moment the bell rang loudly and everyone got up to go to the greenhouse on the grounds where Herbology was taught. As they walked to the Entrance Hall to leave the castle, they spotted the other three Gryffindor girls running into the Great Hall, then running out, each stuffing a biscuit into there mouths. 

"Heh. Looks like _some_ people decided not to get up early." James said as they walked onto the dew-covered grass and towards five large greenhouses.

"Which one are we in?" Asked Lily.

"Well, we'll probably be in Greenhouse 1, since _Hogwarts, A History_ says the number indicates level of advancement." He smiled at Lily, who looked quite sore at not knowing something. 

Friar Arus was right outside Greenhouse 1, and all Gryffindor first-years gathered around him. A few moments later the Hufflepuffs arrived.

"Why are they here?" Asked Peter nervously.

"Because, we've got class with them." He said, pointing to his schedule. Friar Arus counted heads then clapped his hands together cheerily.

"Well! Welcome to Herbology, the study of magical plant-life. My name is Friar Arus, and I'll be your instructor!" He was quite round, and his belly shook jovially as he spoke. Peter instantly saw Santa Claus in him.

"There are those who call me the _Fat Friar_, but I don't mind!" He said laughing, then he shook his belly. "Now, we'll be introducing magical plant-life to you today. Step inside the greenhouse!" They followed the Fat Friar into the large glass house, and everyone's eyes darted in several directions as soon as they entered. 

Plants of different kinds and shapes were all over the place, some of them moving about. The air was filled with odors of all kinds, and even what sounded like faint crying. After that, the class seemed to go by quickly, the Fat Friar showed them all sorts of plants, and previewed their classes for the whole year, just going around the one greenhouse, and there were even plants left that they didn't go over.

After class there were a few minutes that Friar Arus let them just walk around, or sit down and talk. While inspecting an African Gwabble-Quob, which looked like a pile of sand, but really was a camel-eating plant, the Gryffindor boys, Lily, and Mary got into discussing their next class, Charms.

"He's pretty new, eh? Short, too...Think it'll be easy to pull stuff on him?" Sirius asked mischievously.

"Oh, Sirius, I think it'll be fun, new teacher, new students, a learning experience for everyone!" Lily said.

"Well, I have to agree with both of you, though Charms don't much interest me." James said, teasing the Gwabble-Quob with a stick.

"Dad tells me Charms is loads of fun, does anyone know any?" Mary asked squeakily.

"_Win-_gar_-dium levi-_o_-sa!_" Said James, swishing his wand and the stick lifted up a few feet, then dropped. "I just learned it on the train. It should be higher...."

"And he says he says Charms is his worst!" Sirius said.

"Well, I'm looking forward to it. I saw Wingardium in the book on the train, but I couldn't quite get it...." Said Lily.

"You've got to stress the 'gar' and 'o' in the incantation. Make sure your swish and flick are accurate too." James said as they exited the greenhouse, when the bell had rung.

"Thanks, James." She smiled sweetly at him, and he quickly his head down and book up, to guard her from seeing the massive blush that just came over James's face.

No one must have been watching James with his book in face, because he walked right into something quite hard. He fell, and looked up to see a quite angry looking boy. He sat up and faced the boy, who was flanked by two others, one of whom he noticed was Severus Snape, the boy who was arguing with Remus on the train. The lead boy was tall, pale, with blond hair. The other boy had smooth black hair and quite a sneer on his face, like Snape's.

"What do you think you're doing? Get out of my way!" He stepped on James's leg, then pushed it away. James yelled.

"Ouch! It was an accident!" He pulled back and stood up. All of a sudden, Sirius and Remus had appeared on both sides, shoved Snape and the sneering boy out of the way, and turned their wands on the boy who had stepped on James.

"What do you think you're doing?" Said the boy, raising his wand as well. Sirius and Remus both just stared at the boy, as his friends started to get up.

"Snape! Nott! Let's go..." The three boys went around James, Sirius, and Remus, and down towards the greenhouse.

"Charms! We have to get to class! The three of them shot up the grounds, to their dormitories to get their Charms books, and back towards the Charms corridor. Remus and Sirius ran ahead of James into the class on time, but just as the James was about to enter the bell rang. James put one foot forward and dove headfirst into the class, crossing through the open door and landing in the classroom before the bell stopped ringing. As he gathered his books James looked up at Professor Flitwick. 

He was so tiny, it was hard to take his serious look very seriously. James bared an embarrassed grin from the floor, noticing how Professor Flitwick stood on a stack books.

"Sorry, Professor...got held up...." But Professor Flitwick held his hand up. His serious face became a grin.

"Quite alright, son. You _did_ make it in after all." He smiled wider and the whole class laughed. James sat in the back between Sirius and Remus, behind Peter. James noticed Lily and Allyn had gotten to class quicker and had seated themselves at the front next to each other. Professor Flitwick had started the name call, and James's attention turned from Lily to the professor.

"Black, Sirius." Professor Flitwick squeaked. Sirius raised his hand.

"Brown, Dhelia." A brown haired, tanned girl in the second row raised her hand.

"Evans, Lily." Lily raised her hand politely and said 'Here'.

"Flately, Fannie." A blonde girl next to Brandy Brown rose her hand.

"Hannet, Sandra." A Black girl on Brandy's right rose her hand, whispered something to Fannie, and giggled.

"Longbottom, Mary." Professor Flitwick smiled at Mary as she rose her hand.

"Lupin, Remus." Remus raised his hand.

"Pettigrew, Peter." Peter looked around as if to ask if Professor Flitwick was talking to him. After a moment, he finally mustered the power to lift his hand up.

"Potter, James." James raised his hand, and Professor Flitwick chuckled.

"Synwyd, Allyn." Allyn raised his hand and said 'Here' as Lily had.

"Alright, class. Everyone get their books out. You'll need _Standard Book of Spells, _and _Magical Theory_ for

Charms. My name is Professor Flitwick, I'll be your Professor for this class, hopefully until you graduate." Professor Flitwick muttered a few words, then pointed his wand at Lily's pointed black hat. It shot up, spun around the room, then landed on Flitwick's desk and started dancing. 

The whole class applauded. Professor Flitwick returned the hat to Lily's head, and quieted the class. Lily was absolutely about to fall off her chair with excitement, since Charms were what she was looking forward to most.

"Charms, to the muggle are simply spells. But in the magical world, they have a much more specific definition. Charms are spells that alter the properties or behavior of a person or thing. People, animals, objects, even buildings are subject to charms, though I do believe it will be a while until you can make Big Ben levitate 5 feet in the air." He smiled and the class laughed. "Since I doubt you have had History of Magic so far," the class nodded, "I will tell you that Charm comes from Latin _Carminem, _a word that is part of an extremely complicated charm itself. You will learn the beginning stages of this Charm in your 7th year." Lily looked as if she wanted to know it _now_.

After quite a fun class of Professor Flitwick showing them charms and lecturing, on which they all took careful notes, Professor Flitwick began to teach them the Occus charm, a spell which changed eye color. James already knew this, but paid good attention, as he only knew how to turn them green. However, much to everyone's dismay, the bell rang and interrupted the lesson.

"See you all tomorrow, no homework tonight!" He squeaked to the departing class.

Next was lunch, and the Gryffindors all went hungrily to the Great Hall without even dropping off their Charms things. 

"Transfig's next!" James said excitedly, as he grabbed a ham sandwich off a platter.

"Transfig'? Charms has still got me thinking!" Lily immediately started talking rapidly to Allyn and Mary, as the other girls looked on as if to wish they were that smart.

"Erm...yeah, I want to learn that Carminem spell...er...." But Lily wasn't listening to James, but rather to Allyn, who was going on about how he could get a feather to lift up at least 7 feet.

James, Sirius, and Remus's minds immediately all went to James's feeble levitation of the stick with which he had poked a Gwabble-Quob. James went red.

"Er, James, what happened with you and those three Slytherins?" Remus said loud enough to gather the attention of the other 7 Gryffindors first-years, as well as a few older students. 

"Oh. Er, yeah. I ran right into this tall blonde Slytherin. He had two kids by him, Snape, that kid from the train," He said, pointing to Remus. "and some other kid, Nott."

"Lestrange." Said Dhelia Brown. "That must've been Nero Lestrange. The third." Everyone looked at her.

"My mum went to school with Nero the second. Big head, Slytherin prefect, everything. Must be his son. I remember the name from the sorting."

"Huh." James seemed disinterested. He noticed the clock ticking closer to Transfiguration class.

"Whaddya think Transfiguration will be like?" He asked.

"Evus said McGonagall's strict." Lily said slightly scared-sounding.

"Good. I don't want any idiots messing up Transfiguration for the rest of us." James said sharply.

"Come on guys, lets get going, the walk to Transfig' might take a bit." Remus said, gulping the last of his pumpkin juice. The Gryffindors got up and walked back to their dormitories very full.

"Seriously, guys, like I said yesterday, I'm really looking forward to learning about Animagi."James said as they left the commons with their Transfiguration things.

"I-I don't know if you'd w-want to be an Animagus, to turn into another animal, James." Remus said shakily.

"Why not, Remus?" Remus went extremely white.

"Er...well, my, um, uncle, he's an Animagus...says it's not all it's cracked up to be."

"Huh." Said Sirius, though he still wondered why Remus was so pale. He looked around, and no one else seemed to notice. 

When they reached the Transfiguration classroom, the woman who they all decided was Professor McGonagall stood at her desk, lips together tightly. James made sure to sit in the front and make room for Lily next to him. She sat down there, Sirius on his other side. Allyn sat on Lily's left, before James could instruct Peter to do so. Remus sat next to Sirius, looking slightly hurt at not sitting next to James, though Sirius informed Remus of why and he chuckled and accepted his seat. Peter sat in the second row, leaning forward as much as possible to catch anything anyone else said.

"Welcome to Transfiguration, my name is Professor McGonagall." She said, pacing the room. "Transfiguration, as its name implies, is the changing of one thing into another, by use of magic. A Transfigure is a spell that does so. Now, this is a very serious class. No horseplay will be tolerated. If I feel your behavior makes you unsuitable for this class you will be asked to leave." She said turning sharply to face the class. 

"Do you all understand?" She said, sounding more like a statement than a question. "Good." She pointed her wand at her desk, and it suddenly popped, and was a pig. The class applauded, she turned it back, and faced the class. James was on the edge of his seat, as Lily had been in Charms. She swished her wand, and a piece of chalk shot up to the board.

"Transfiguration requires the understanding and mastery of three basic principles." The chalk instantly wrote:

Transfiguration: Three Basic Principles 

James copied this down exactly on his parchment, and Lily and Sirius saw him and did likewise. Professor McGonagall surveyed the class.

"I see only Misters Potter and Black, and Miss Evans have begun taking notes. 5 points apiece for you three. Others; begin taking notes!" The other students suddenly got out their parchments and quills and copied the notes down quickly. James beamed.

By the end of the day only James had successfully turned his match into a pin. Lily had done so as well, though hers still lit on fire upon striking, and Sirius and Remus had only been able to make theirs look silvery.

Happy to earn Gryffindor 25 points, 15 because of the notes, and 10 for James's pin, they headed back to the dormitory. 

"Ah, nothing until History of Magic, and that's not for an hour, right?" James asked Lily.

"Yep. Do you know who's teaching it?" She asked.

"Not a clue." She said, sitting down in a chair in front of the fire.

"Hey, James!" Sirius said, sitting down next to him. "Want a game of Quidditch?" He said. James had forgotten about Quidditch. The wonderful game played on broomsticks with the Quaffle, the Bludgers, the Golden Snitch, Chasers, Keepers, Beaters and Seekers. James smiled.

"Speaking of which," Lily protruded. "I hear they're going to start banning broomsticks from first-years." Sirius jumped.

"Ban broomsticks?" Sirius shrieked.

"Well, first-years can't be on the Quidditch team, they're generally less mature than everyone else, I think it's understandable. Why should we have broomsticks?"

"Because it's fun!" Remus interrupted.

"True." Lily said, shrugging.

"C'mon, then, James. Let's play. You too, Remus."

"You've only got an hour." Lily said.

"I think we can play a bit. I've just got a new broom, too. The _Nimbus Thunderbolt_. Apparently it's a startup broom company. Thunderbolt's just a copy of the latest Shooting Star, but its got some extra charms added, so it's the market leader." Sirius said.

"Ah, I've got one too! Thunderbolt's an excellent broom." James's mind shot to his own broom.

"Ah, I've just got the Comet 190. Came out five years ago." James frowned.

"Well," said Lily. "If there's one thing about owning a Comet or a Cleansweep, or even a Shooting Star, is that it's a well known company and they're reliable." Sirius and Remus nodded.

"You play Quidditch, Lily?" James turned to her, surprised at her knowledge.

"Well, I'm more of a spectator." She blushed.

"What about you, Allyn, Peter?" Peter went white.

"Er, yeah, I play Quidditch...um, but I can't play, because...of...I forgot my broom!"

"Aw, too bad, Pete." Said Allyn with a slap on his back. "I play, fancy myself a keeper. I've got a Swiftstick 2, descendant of the old Tinderblast. Good for keepers, though they don't go as fast as you'd like."

"I'll go get our brooms, then." Mary and Remus ran up the stairs to the dormitories. Sirius thought for a moment. 

_Should I tell them about Remus? Maybe they have an idea about why he's so afraid of Animagi. It's probably nothing, though...Nah, I won't bother them._

Remus and Mary came back down, with a frown on their faces, no brooms in their hands.

"What's up, Mary?"

"Someone's already on the pitch. Looks like a bunch of 7th-years."

"Dang." Sirius spat into the fire.

"Well, we could study up on History of Magic, or-"

"Evus!" James interrupted Lily. Evus had just walked into the room.

__

"Ah!" He said. "How're m' fav'rite firs'-years?"

"And how's our favorite...er, what year are you in Evus?" Sirius asked, scratching his shoulder.

"Eh'm en m' fourth year." He said smiling and sitting down. "Done with classes fer today?"

"No we've got History of Magic left, in 40 minutes or so."

"Ah. Professor Binns. Very old man, he is. Wonder when ee'll retire." Evus said, stroking his chin as if he had a beard.

"What's he like Evus?" Asked Lily.

"Ach, he's quite borin', drones on and on. I doubt yeh'll like 'im. Even the smartest bookworm gets bored by 'im." Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Is that so?" She said, as if challenged. They sat and talked about Hogwarts for 10 minutes or so, when they decided to go and get their books. James grabbed his History book, and started to walk out, glancing at the window. 

"Wait, what's that?" James said, pointing out the window. The boys crowed around the window and peered out.

"Look at that tree! Its branches are whipping around, like arms! That tree wasn't there yesterday." 

"Oh, that's the Whomping Willow." Remus said.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked quickly. 

"Oh, er...Friar Arus told me, after Herbology."

_Do they suspect something? No one saw me after Herbology...they can't prove I wasn't talking to Friar Arus. _Remus thought.

_What is up with Remus?_ Thought Sirius. _He gets pale talking about Animagi, and now he knows all about this tree? I suspect something._

_Evus seems odd to me. A fourth-year, taking Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts? Something's up._ Thought Allyn.

_I'm really hungry; I wonder when dinner is. _Thought James.

"Let's go check the tree out. We've got time." James led them down, bag of History of Magic things in hand.

"Check it out, guys!" Sirius said, pointing to the Willow's branches, swinging back and forth furiously. Peter backed up nearly 10 feet, and Allyn came so close he could have hugged it. 

"Wow! Look at it!" He said, touching its bark.

"Watch out! It's dangerous!" Remus held out his hand, but he was too late. One of the thick branches came by and grabbed Allyn, gripping him tightly and smashing him into its own trunk.

"Ahh!" James raised his wand and shot sparks at the tree. Peter ran back to the castle, and Sirius stood frozen.

"It's got him!" Sirius yelled. Remus jumped forward, pocketing his wand, and grabbing a large, long stick at the base of the tree. He poked furiously at the base.

"Remus! What do you think you're doing? Get away from that tree and get out your wand like the rest of us!" Sirius said, shooting sparks at the tree as well. 

"What're we going to do?" James said, turning to Sirius. This was the first time Sirius had ever seen anything close to a panicked look on his face. But then, suddenly, the tree stopped, and it released Allyn. He fell limply to the base of the tree.

"How'd you do that?" Sirius said to Remus, sounding angrier than surprised.

"Er, I...jus freaked out, and grabbed the stick...I don't know how it stopped...really...." Sirius raised his finger and started to talk, but James turned and stared in the opposite direction. Sirius turned around.

Professor Dumbledore, Friar Arus, Evus McQuent, and two people none of them knew were approaching the tree quickly, with Peter Pettigrew following in near shock.

"What's going on here?" Shouted a tall lightly red-haired, stone-faced wizard.

"We, er-wanted to...Allyn-came too close, and er-"

"What happened to him?" Said a shorter, kinder faced wizard, leaning over Allyn.

"He got caught, and...um-"

"Professor Longbottom, take Allyn to Madam Ora." Professor Dumbledore said. "Friar Arus, please inspect the Willow. Evus, Professor Marus, please escort these boys back to their dormitories. I assure you, they did nothing wrong. Remus, I would like to have a word with you." Professor Marus and Evus took the 3 frightened boys back up the grounds. Professor Marus looked at them as if he wanted to punish them, but couldn't. Evus looked at them with pure admiration.

"Remus, what happened here?" Professor Dumbledore asked sternly.

"Well, we came down for a look, and Allyn got too close, it grabbed him, and I poked it with the stick, like you said-"

"Thank you Remus. Please try to stay away from here except for your scheduled monthly visits."

Remus nodded and gulped and followed Professor Dumbledore up to the castle.


	4. Chapter Four: The Duel

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 4: The Duel

Evus was quite right. History of Magic was easily the most boring class yet. James yawned and looked over to Sirius. His head was down, and James was certain he was asleep. Next to Remus, who was the only one taking notes, though quite sleepily, was an empty seat where Allyn would have been, had he not been attacked by the Whomping Willow.

"In Eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, the North Swiss Provincial Goblin Rebels signed a treaty with the Northeast Swiss Provincial Goblin Rebels to join together and rebel. After 7 months of bloody fighting, the Swiss government finally agreed to grant the North-Northeast Swiss Provincial Goblin Rebels their demand, the legal right for Goblins to eat ice cream in Northern Switzerland."

James nearly fell off his seat.

"Mister Black, I suggest you wake up and pay attention, there will be a quiz at the end of the week." Professor Binns droned.

As Sirius snorted and rose his head, the bell rang, and the class came out of its stupor. 

"Why did Dumbledore take you aside, Remus?" Asked James.

"I...er, I don't know, maybe he thought I made it stop."

"Yeah, with that stick. Seriously, Remus..."

"Hey guys, let's go visit Allyn." Lily said, joining them as they strode out the door. The boys consented, and they traveled down the hall.

"Er, where _is_ the hospital wing?" They stopped in their tracks. Just then, however, their angel of guidance appeared.

"'Ello, folks!" Said Evus as he approached them. "How're ya doin'?"

"Excellent, Evus, except that Allyn had that unfortun-ate run-in with the Whomping Willow."

"Ach, that bloody tree. Professor Marus told me aboot it, wouldn't say why they put it in." Remus stood behind everyone, so no one could see he was as white as ever.

"Where's the Hospital Wing, Evus? We want to visit him." Said Mary Longbottom.

"Ach, its just down the hall, up the stairs, through the portrait of the nurse, and up the second staircase, it's right there."

"Ah, thank you, that sounds easy enough." James led the group through the maze of staircases and portrait holes before finding the door leading into the hospital ward.

Sirius knocked.

"Hallo?" Came a voice.

"We'd like to see Allyn." Said James loudly.

"Okay, hoost a meenut." A short, pudgy witch opened the door, and pointed them to the bed where Allyn was laid out. "You can stay for fife meenut." She said, walking back to her office at the end of the ward.

"Allyn, how are you?" Said Lily quickly.

"Oh, I'm okay." He said, sitting up. "Madam Ora fixed me up easy. I can leave after I get some dinner."

"Ah, that reminds me," James said, looking at his watch. "Dinner. I _am_ hungry."

"Ha, well, you guys go on, and eat, I'm fine. Just don't go near that willow!" He said, laughing.

"Are you sure you're okay, Allyn?" Mary said sympathetically. 

"I'm fine, I'm fine, go on, eat dinner."

"Alleen! Time for joose!" Madam Ora walked over and handed Allyn a cup full of steaming blue liquid.

"See you later, guys." He said, looking at the 'juice' carefully.

"Bye, Allyn." Said the group and they walked out. They walked down back to the History corridor, when the quills and papers fell out of James's book. 

"Oh, go ahead, guys." James said, shooing them off. He turned around and bent down over his things, picking them up and putting them back into his bag. He stood up and-

"Ouch!" He held his head and looked at who he had just bumped into. It was none other than Nero Lestrange the Third. James examined his nametag, which confirmed this.

Nero Lestrange III

"Not you again," Nero looked at James's nametag. "James Pudder. You buffoon." He raised his wand. "Not so tough, without your friends, are you?" He chuckled.

"I'm not afraid of you, 'Strange." Nero looked at him puzzled.

"What did you say?"

"What? Not know your own last name, Nero?" James said calmly, but loudly.

"The things I could do to you...." He nearly whispered. At that point Remus and Sirius came to James side, both panting slightly.

"What do you think you're going to do?" Nero said, looking at Remus. He was weary as usual, and that didn't make him look as if he could pose such a threat to him.

"Well, since I suppose we can't do it right, here...A duel tonight."

"Tuh." Came a voice from behind them. James turned around. Lily and Mary were walking towards them, and James noticed Peter's quivering head sticking out from around the corner.

"A duel? Please, Lestrange, you can do better than that. Trick James into a room full of Slytherins? I doubt it."

"Not that he could muster a curse, anyway. I doubt he'd be able to get past a single block of mine." James lied confidently.

"I know more curses than the five of you combined. Not that any of you probably know any anyway." Just then, however, Professor Scuro came by.

"Causing trouble, Lestrange?" Nero gulped.

"N-no sir...."

"Better not be. Come on. Get a move on." The three Slytherins turned to follow Professor Scuro, but Nero's head swiveled back.

"Tonight, midnight, Slytherin common room, if you've got any guts." He turned back and walked away.

At dinner, no one spoke.

_Oh, I hope he doesn't go. No doubt those nasty Slytherins know a heaps of spells._ Thought Lily.

_Oh, I hope he goes. I'd love to see James whoop those nasty Slytherins with heaps of spells._ Thought Sirius.

_What am I going to do? I hardly know any spells._ Thought James.

_They are going to ambush James if he goes._ Thought Mary.

_We should ambush them if James goes. _Thought Remus.

After dinner, they remained wordless, though it was obvious what the decision made was.

James looked stern and determined. He held his wand tight, simply sitting there in the Gryffindor common room.

"Well?" Said Sirius, sitting down next to him. "Going to blast the rules apart after our first day?" James nodded.

"Yeah. I can't let them think I'm weak."

"James, that is so pig-headed and stupid, I absolutely hate the idea that you're going." Lily said suddenly. "But I support you."

James broke his focus with the fire and turned to Lily.

"Are you serious?" He said, raising his eyebrows, and dropping his chin. She just nodded glumly.

"Well, that's excellent, Lily." Said Sirius.

"But I'm going to warn you, James." Said Lily. James turned to face her again. "If he says anything like 'Avada Kedavra, Crucio, or Imperio, just run. Run and scream. Those are powerful dark curses; you don't want to risk anything." James smiled.

"I know all about those spells, Lily. Don't worry about me." He smiled in a brave sort of way at her. 

The hours passed slowly after then, by 11 o'clock they became restless. Lily, Mary, and Peter began shaking quite a bit, and Remus told them to go to bed. By a quarter past eleven Sirius finally got up.

"Let's go. We don't know how long it'll take to get there. We'll accompany you to the door." James and Remus got up and followed Sirius out the portrait hole. They knew where the Slytherins came from, from watching them go the night before, and come that morning. They went to the Great Hall and found the passage from which the Slytherins had come that morning, and walked down a staircase which Sirius knew to be the way.

"Saw a map in _Hogwarts, A History_." Sirius and Remus flanked in front of James, one of them turning around to check on him every once and a while.

"Do you actually know any curses, James, or are you just being a brave prat?" Sirius said, as he turned around, surprising James.

"Well, I, er, know plenty of charms and spells, maybe just if I can do enough of them in the right combination, I can screw him up enough."

"James, don't be stupid. There are rules to dueling. If you break one-"

"He's going to tell someone?" James said coolly.

"I suppose you're right." He said. They finally came to a staircase adorned by two snakes. 

"You 'spose this is it?" Sirius said. They walked down it, and not to anyone's surprise, Nero Lestrange stood there with Severus Snape and the boy Nott on his sides. 

"Snape. Nott. Escort Pudder's friends to the top of the staircase." Snape and Nott walked forward to take Sirius and Remus up. At this point, everyone had his wand raised. 

"Severus Snape, eh?" Sirius said. "Sounds a lot like Salazar Slytherin...you fancy yourself the heir?"

"I wish."

"You do, don't you. You'd be the regular King of dark wizards then, wouldn't you, and that's your dream."

"Is not!" He said loudly.

"Wouldn't want to turn your back on the dark side, would you, Sev?" Snape clenched his teeth tightly.

"On 3 we'll go." Nero said calmly. The Slytherin room was dark and damp, tall armchairs surrounded a fireplace, in the center of the long room. Chairs were pushed aside to create a space for the duel. A carpet was set where it was to take place. The room was empty.

"What, no ambush?" James said.

"No. Fair and square. One..." They raised there wands. 

__

Wingardium Leviosa, thought James, _I'll levitate his wand out of his hand. _

"...Two..." James saw a sudden movement behind Nero. He recognized it immediately. 

"Three!" James ducked, and felt heat streak over his back. 

"_Expelliarmus!_" He looked up, and Evus McQuent had knocked Nero's wand out of his hand. 

"What do yeh two think yer doin'?"

"Get out of here! This is a Slytherin only room!" Nero waved his arm.

"Then what aboot him?" Evus pointed at James.

"We were having a...a duel..." James said quietly.

"A duel? I doubt it, more like an attempted execution." He looked at Nero. "Yeh set him up fer a duel, and he thinks yeh two are just goin' tah shoot sparks at each other. He doesn't know yeh know all these dark curses, he doesn't know yeh come from one the darkest wizardin' fam'lies in England, that's roit. Now come one yeh two. Lets go." He grabbed Nero and James by the shoulders and started walking them out when Nero pulled back.

"This is my common room! Where are you taking me?"

"To Professor Scuro, he'll be quite pleased to deal with you." Evus pulled out his wand and raised it. Nero suddenly grabbed his own wand out off Evus's pocket and pointed it at him.

"_Furnunculus!_" He uttered. Evus was quick, though. He too, pulled his wand and before the spell hit him-

"_Circumvalo!" _A huge silvery wall sprouted in front of Evus, and Nero's spell was absorbed. Nero gulped and went white. 

_"Expecto Demori!" _The white jet that had been absorbed by the shield suddenly shot back out at Nero. He ducked in time, and looked back up at Evus.

"You will be incredibly lucky if you are still here in one hour." Evus said, brow scrunched.

He turned and did what he had intended to do with his wand in the first place. He muttered something, and a silvery item came from his wand and shot through the door. In a few moments came Professor Scuro down the stairs.

"Whot is going on here?" Scuro said.

"These two were dueling. Lestrange here tricked James."

"No doubt he did!" He said, enraged. "Evus. Take this boy back to his dormitory. I'll deal with Lestrange." Evus nodded to him and took James upstairs. Severus Snape and Nott were standing by the door quivering, and Sirius and Remus were no where to be seen. 

"What was that spell, Evus?" James asked as they made their way back to the Gryffindor dormitory.

"It was the Circumval Block. It blocks most hexes, then shoots 'em back. Pretty cool. Takes a bit out of ya though." He said wearily. 

"Did you learn that from Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Evus smiled.

"Yeah. Over the summer, I took a pre-course. Yeh learn good stuff in that class, have yeh had it yet?"

"Er, no, we have it Tuesday through Friday." 

"Well, Professor Dumbledore tells me he'll be teachin' yeh. Should be fun fer yeh."

"Professor Dumbledore? Really?" Said James hopefully.

"Yeh. Should be a priv'lage fer yeh. Too bad yeh couldn't have Professor Longbottomfor a teacher. He is a good'n."

At that point they came to the Fat Lady.

"Flaky Bags-Wagon." Said Evus. They entered the room quietly, everyone was asleep, including Sirius and Remus, who had both passed out in the chairs closest to the dying fire.

He walked over and prodded the two of them.

"Get teh bed you two. C'mon, James isn't in trouble, c'mon now. No, Sirius, he didn't kill Lestrange, though we all would've loved that." James, Sirius, and Remus walked up to their rooms yawning all the way. James laid himself down in bed with one thought in his mind. What a way to start your first year at school.


	5. Chapter Five: A Startling Discovery

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 5: A Startling Discovery

"Friar Arus, can you tell us about the Whomping Willow?" Asked Dhelia Brown the next afternoon. Only James saw Remus go white.

"Er, well, sure, Dhelia." Friar Arus smiled, then turned, hitting a plant off a chair, smashing its pot to bits.

"Oh, dear!" He said, sounding somewhat fake. "Remus, could you go to Hagrid, the groundskeeper, and ask him for a new pot for my Ice Venus?" He magically raised the blue plant, which was whipping about on the ground. Remus nodded and walked out of the greenhouse. He spotted a shabby wooden hut and the massive man known as Hagrid across the grounds. He gulped.

"Well, Dhelia, the Whomping Willow was put in the year for the Herbology classes, to observe. It's a wonder of Herbology, really. We'll go over it...at the end of the year...." Friar Arus scratched his neck nervously.

*

"What's yer name then?" Hagrid asked.

"Remus, Remus Lupin." He said.

"Ah, Lupin. Professor Dumbledore told me about yeh, and yer situation. I was one of 'em that put that bloody tree in."

"So you know about me, and my-"

"All the teachers 'n staff do. Professor Dumbledore is a very kind man. Not many would let a boy like you in." Remus gulped.

"But then, he's been very kind ta me. I got expelled in me third year, and he let me stay on as groundskeeper." Remus nodded. Hagrid took the pot he was making out of his oven and set it down on the table.

"Just a moment 'till it cools. Yeh're from the family Lupin right?" Remus nodded.

"Had a Lupin in me class. Musta bin yer uncle." Remus nodded again.

"I tell yeh what, Remus. Any time yeh want ta, jus' come down here an' we can talk. I know it must be hard, bein' what yeh are. I think I know how yeh feel." Remus smiled and nodded, then Hagrid grabbed the pot.

"Feels cool enough. Go on, take it back now, and don't forget me offer." Remus nodded again and grabbed the large pot, and waddled out of the hut.

The next class following Herbology was Defense Against the Dark Arts, the class everyone was looking forward too, especially James. Ever since he saw Evus use the Circumval Block and heard that Professor Dumbledore was teaching it, it was all he could think about. 

James, Sirius, and Allyn practically ran there, everyone else wasn't interested enough to make such an effort to get there early. When he walked in, James saw no one in the room. He sat down at the front center desk as he had in Transfiguration, and Sirius and Allyn sat down on each side. After everyone had been seated (Remus came in last and was forced to sit in the back with the giggling girls) Professor Dumbledore finally entered the room. Nearly everyone was shocked to see _him_ teaching the class, as the person of whom everyone was thinking was Professor Vanic.

"Hello, class. My name is, in case you haven't heard, Professor Dumbledore, and I will be your teacher for this particular class." He smiled brightly, and his eyes twinkled. "Defense Against the Dark Arts is a subject to take seriously. Dark wizards have been increasing in number lately, and though Ministry officials will keep this under control, that does not mean that you should not be taught about Defense. All the Dark Side needs now is a powerful leader. There has not been one that could keep the Dark Side together since Grindelwald, and we hope there will not be another-yes Sirius?" Sirius had risen his hand.

"Didn't you defeat Grindelwald?" Dumbledore blushed.

"Why, yes I did give the final blow, though many people were part of the effort-yes James?" 

"Can you tell us how you did it?" He blushed again.

"Well, I don't think so, maybe later, James. Now, for class." For the whole period Professor Dumbledore amazed the students with facts and enticed the students with the descriptions of a few spells, all of which they desperately wanted to learn. The period, however, went by quickly, and the bell was greeted with plenty of groans.

"See you tomorrow, no homework, though I suggest you read the first chapter of your first book." He said as they got up.

"What do we have next? I doubt any class will look good following that act." Sirius said as they left the room.

"Ah, Potions. Evus said it was fun, though I don't know about being taught by the Head of Slytherin."

Today there was non-stop chatter in the halls, mostly about Ian Vedol, the Slytherin boy who came late to the Sorting. By the looks of it, it had been sorted out, but Sirius was skeptical.

"I don't know why he was late, but he looks pretty evil, and he did go to Slytherin-"

"Speaking of Slytherin, Sirius, check that out." Lined up against the door to the Potions room were the Slytherin first-years. James saw the usual group, only this time there were two changes; the strange boy, Ian Vedol had joined Lestrange, Snape and Nott, and another Slytherin boy looked at them hopefully. Also, it appeared, Snape had taken over as leader of their group. Lestrange seemed feeble, he hadn't been expelled, but he seemed to think that any toe out of line would earn him that. 

The Gryffindors, too, lined up against the wall, lugging cauldrons and ingredients. Since the door was locked, they turned to each other and started to chat.

"What do you think they did to Lestrange?" Sirius asked.

"Really, guys, I was just as to blame as he was-"

"No you weren't, James! You didn't know he was such a Dark little wizard."

"I know, it's just that I almost feel sorry for him." Sirius looked at him with astonishment.

"_Almost._" 

Finally, as the bell rang, Professor Scuro came by, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. The Slytherins and Gryffindors followed him in; both surprised what the other class was doing.

"We have class with _them?"_ Lily checked her schedule.

"Yeah, Mary, we do. That sucks...." Professor Scuro scanned the class. 

"Hello. My name is Professor Scuro, if you didn't already know that. I'll be teaching Potions for you this year. Potions is difficult class. It requires mathematical know-how and plenty of logic. I suggest to those who take a liking to it to take Arithmancy in his or her third year. Are we set? Excellent, lets get to class." Evus was right, Potions was fun, but it was nothing to how Professor Scuro treated his own house.

"Nott! How stupid are you? Can you get it through your skull?" James and Sirius stifled laughs. Even Peter got through the class relatively easily, and he was horrible at thinking, especially when it involved measurements and mean Slytherins. 

The last class that they hadn't had yet was Astronomy, which met Wednesdays at midnight in the tower for observing and Fridays at 10 a.m. for a class. James knew when he entered the class that it would _not_ be fun.

"It is twelve-oh one! Class starts at twelve! From now on I will be locking the doors at twelve. Potter! Black! Five points apiece from Gryffindor!" The ten students all situated themselves in the horribly uncomfortable wooden recline-able chairs. They put their telescopes on desks that came over their laps, and sat there, looking at the sky.

"Check it out, guys!" Remus was the only one having fun. Professor Marus was quite cruel to everyone, as Scuro had been to his house. Remus, however seemed to be exempt.

"Good insight, Lupin, your father was genius in Astronomy too. No, Black, you didn't spot the same thing, five points from Gryffindor for trying to copy."

"That was the worst class _ever_!" Sirius said as they marched, yawning, down one of the staircases towards their dormitories. 

"I liked it!" Remus said.

"That's because Marus knows yer mum and dad. And that you actually _like_ this Astronomy crap."

"I have my reasons...." Remus said following a massive yawn.

*

The next months went by quickly. They never found time to go out and fly on the pitch, but took enjoyment in watching the try-outs for house teams. They were all thoroughly enjoying Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Potions, though History of Magic, Herbology, and Astronomy were less than that. None of them were hard, but some of them were certainly boring.

Halloween merited tons of decorations, and a massive feast in the Great Hall. James and Sirius took the opportunity to open their trouble-making careers at Hogwarts, by setting off Dungbombs in bathrooms from the Gryffindor Tower all the way to the Great Hall. 

Remus got a lot of sympathy from everyone because on what seemed like a monthly basis he was forced to go home because of some sickness or that of a relative's. He always came back looking quite weak. For the few days after he came back, the other four boys, (or, rather, James, Sirius, Allyn and Lily) formed a diamond around Remus to make sure he wasn't made fun of or bumped in to. 

"Ah, Astronomy, I suppose you're happy?" Sirius said, heading to the highest tower one Wednesday.

"Yes, I am, Sirius." Remus said.

"I wish Marus was nice to us. He's so nice to you, it's annoying to see him let you in 10 minutes after the bell rings." 

"You _are_ going to take advantage of Marus's blind spot for you tonight, right?" James asked.

"As usual, buddy." Remus said with a smile.

"Well, smuggle us some chocolate or something. I'm so hungry. I'd go grab something, but that would only leave me about 25 minutes to get to class...." When they finally reached the top Remus waved and headed back downstairs. 

James and Sirius were quite brave, coming in at only 10 minutes until class. They were the only ones to enter after Professor Marus had, and he eyed them suspiciously for it. They probably would have gotten a scolding as well if it weren't for the fact that they were Remus's friends. 

Despite his popularity, no one dared sit themselves on James's right. They all wanted to, but Marus knew that was Remus's seat, and would attempt the expulsion of whichever student it happened to be.

Ten minutes after the bell had rung, well into Professor Marus's explaining the Ursa Minor, Remus entered the room with a butterbeer and a large chunk of chocolate.

"Why the hold up, Lupin?" Marus asked as if he cared.

"I was feeling faint, needed a bite." He said, mouth full of chocolate.

"Ah, I see. Well, Remus, you best take a bit of a rest after you finish that, don't want you do go fainting on us." Remus smiled and sat down next to James, slipping him a large chunk, which he split in thirds, and handed off to Peter and Sirius. The rest of the class was quite fun, for the kids with chocolate, anyway.

When Remus finally joined the class, about halfway through (only because he liked Astronomy), Professor Marus was discussing the moon, and how they would be going over it.

For a moment, Professor Marus looked at Remus sort of sympathetically, though he then broke his gaze and returned his face to his telescope. Remus gulped.

"As you can see, the moon is in its first quarter... which means it will be a full moon soon...." He looked at Remus again, then returned his face to the telescope. 

"We will be going over the moon for the next few months," James looked at Remus as Professor Marus spoke. He was white, looking down at his empty butterbeer mug. James, too, returned his gaze to the telescope, before Remus could see him. 

The next Friday afternoon Remus came to the dormitory looking quite sick.

"Uh, guys?" He interrupted. James was spectating what was becoming a thrilling match of chess between Sirius and Lily. The pieces seemed to be excited as well, their hits on opposing pieces seemed to becoming more and more vicious.

"Yes, Remus?" Everyone looked up. 

"I'm sick again...I have to go home...."

"Sick? _Again?_" Sirius dropped his arms.

"Er, yeah." He faked a cough.

"Is it that same one, that Madam Ora can't fix, that you have to go home to get the antidote?" Remus coughed again.

"Er, yes it is...." Remus went whiter. 

"What was the disease called again?" 

"Erm, _Dolo,_ um..._Dolo fallacae_. Yeah, that." Remus suddenly stuck out his jaw and started rubbing it ferociously. 

"Erwellgottagobye." Remus turned around and walked quickly out the door.

_Remus is acting strange, as usual. Cool kid, but really weird._ Sirius thought.

_That's odd,_ thought Lily, _that he was rubbing his mouth like that. Sounds like a symptom I've heard of...but where?_

_That's the fourth time he's gone home._ Thought James. _Once a month now, why couldn't he wait until Christmas break? It's not life threatening.... Why can't Madam Ora cure it? What is it that's making him leave every month?_

"Er, good game but gotta go-" Sirius and Lily said simultaneously. They both laughed, Lily removed her pieces, and Sirius's board once again swallowed up his. She rushed to her dormitory, he rushed to his. James just sat there. He finally got up, and walked to the library.

*

Peter wasn't enjoying his flying lessons. He kept wavering, pointing his broom in all directions. Professor Marus flew up to him.

"Pettigrew! You better get it together! You're going to kill yourself! Now, grip you broom firmly! Firmly, Pettigrew!" Peter looked at Allyn and Mary, who were hovering on each side of him. They were steady.

"10 galleons your parents paid for Flying Practice! Now it's all going to waste if you can't get yourself steady! Listen to me! Lock your elbows! Tighten your legs around the broom! Don't worry! If you don't screw up, you'll be fine! Otherwise it's 50 points from Gryffindor! Now, Pettigrew, straighten!" A burst of laughter came from the other side of Professor Marus. 

These optional flying practices were with Slytherin, as Potions were. Not many Slytherins had taken flying practice, they were all too proud, though Lestrange, Snape, Nott, and Vedol all did, rather to 'prove how good we really are'. It also seemed that Lestrange had regained his confidence. 

Marus turned to face the Slytherins. Luckily, he didn't overlook it when other houses picked on his own, unlike Scuro. He, rather, had equal hate for all students.

"Lestrange! Snape! Ground, now!" Nero scowled, and floated gracefully to the ground. Nott and Vedol were suddenly without their leaders, and gulped.

Ian Vedol was a very pale boy, nearly white. He had narrow, always squinted eyes. His nose was somewhat flatter than normal, and there was barely any red in his lips. His head was all the skin anyone ever saw of him, his hands always hidden in his sleeves, even when he was writing he managed to keep them out of view.

"Now, much of the reason many of you are taking Flying, is because you want to play Quidditch. Even if not, handling something while flying is quite important. We're going to be tossing around this Quaffle," He held up the bright red ball, "and flying in circles to aid in our coordination skills. Now, let's begin. Vedol, you first." Marus started everyone in the circular motion, then tossed the Quaffle to Vedol. In a panicky moment, Vedol swatted the ball downwards, not even pulling his hands out of his sleeves.

"Vedol!" Yelled Marus. "What are you doing?"

*

Lily sat on her bed, lifting a pile of books onto her lap. 

"Let's see...I've heard of protruding jaw somewhere. Where was it?" She opened _Magical Medical Maladies_ to the Table of Contents.

"Hmmm...nothing about jaws...." She threw the books down and picked up the next.

"_Sorcerers Symptoms and Side-Effects_...no, it's not in there." She went through three more books before she came to her last.

"_All About Animagi_...no. Wait, maybe it was. Yes! That's where it was!" She flipped through the book.

"Here we go... 'The sudden protrusion of the jaw is a side effect of holding the power of an Animagus. This must be under control for the person to receive an Animagus license.'" She set the book down, looking dissapointed.

"Well, that's not right. Remus can't turn into an animal."

*

James looked out the window. It was already nighttime. He remembered Professor Marus had said tonight was going to be the Full Moon. He had been looking through the same books for hours. He _still_ couldn't find anything about _Dolo fallacae_. 

He set down his last book.

"If Remus hadn't said it, I'd say _Dolo fallacae_ doesn't exist." Then it came to James.

Dolo fallacae _must be a new disease. _Thought James.

__

That's why he has to go home so quickly, and that's why 

Madam Ora can't handle it. It's too new.

James looked again at the sky. It was really cloudy. The moon would be coming out soon. James remembered 

back to the last full moon. It was quite fun, Sirius and he 

had put exploding whoopee cushions on Lestrange's seat, and 

Nero had ended up getting in trouble with Professor Scuro. In fact, Remus had been gone then...last time it was a full moon. And the time before that....

James dropped everything and ran upstairs.

Sirius had been lying on his bed pondering Remus. 

_What an odd boy. Really. He frightens whenever he hears anything about the Whomping Willow or Animagi. He's very wierd._

Sirius looked out his window. The clouds were parting. He remembered tonight was the full moon. He looked out his window. Remus was standing on the grounds.

_What is he doing?_ Sirius thought. 

__

Remus looked around nervously then walked over to the Whomping Willow. He did the strangest thing Sirius had ever seen-he walked over and poked the Willow with a long stick, and it froze. He then walked to the other side of it, disappearing behind it. 

Sirius dashed down the stairs, where Lily was sitting on one of the chairs. James then ran in from behind the portrait. 

"Guys! You'll never guess!" Lily said when they entered. "That thing with Remus rubbing his mouth! That's a trait of the Animagi! Weird, eh?" 

"Animagi, eh...." James stood, thinking.

"Yeah and did you ever notice, he gets really weirded out whenever we talk about Animagi? Or the Whomping Willow! I just saw him disappear behind the Whomping Willow!"

"It all makes sense!" James exclaimed pointing his finger in the air.

"No it doesn't!" Exclaimed Sirius. "It doesn't make any sense at all! What is up with Remus?" 

"I've got it, don't you see? Its obvious now...makes so much sense...." James trailed off.

"What? What makes so much sense?" Sirius's voice cracked.

"Well," said James quite calmly, "if I'm not mistaken...Remus is a werewolf." 


	6. Chapter Six: Werewolves, Wizwums, and Wr...

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 6: Werewolves, Wizwums, and Wronski Feints

The next morning was a bit awkward. The three that had decided Remus was a werewolf kept eyeing each other oddly, and the three that didn't kept eyeing those who knew even more oddly. All the while, Dhelia Brown, Sandra Hannet, and Fannie Flately kept eyeing everyone very oddly between giggling sessions.

Remus hadn't come back yet, he had said he would Monday. But Sirius, James, and Lily knew where he was. Or at least they had an idea. They decided to head to the library and set up a study session, and talk about what to do with the Remus situation. 

"Well, I've found as many werewolf books as I can." Sirius said as he sat down at a small table in the corner of the library. 

"That'll do for now." Sirius set them down and began reading through one. 

"Should we confront him?" James asked the group.

"I don't know...he might be angry."

"Angry? We should be angry! What a thing to do to us, keeping that locked up inside him!" Sirius said in as hushed a yell as possible.

"It must be hard for him! Seriously, Sirius!" Lily said in seriousness, standing up. James fell off his seat doubled up.

"Serious Sirius! Hah! In eight years of knowing you I've never thought of that!" James laughed some more.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, ha-ha, very funny." The librarian quickly hushed them all.

When Remus returned the school went on holiday for two weeks and the six friends all decided to stick around, to be together. 

Since nearly all the school had gone home for the holidays, the group decided that the Quidditch pitch would be available and went out for a match.

"Well," said James through his thick winter coat, "I think that Sirius and Remus should be the captains, since they have the best brooms." James looked up. It was dusk; they had spent the entire afternoon playing chess and Exploding Snap.

"Alright then! James is on my team!" Sirius said before Remus could. He looked weary as usual, but in much higher spirits for the holidays.

"Ok...I'll take Allyn." Allyn walked over to where Remus was standing.

"Um, come on Mary. Over here." Mary joined Sirius and James.

"Er, Peter." Remus said jaw clenched. He didn't really want such a bungler, but Peter was a good friend. 

"Oh, er no, I'll spectate, thanks." He said nervously. Remus gave a sigh of relief and smiled. 

"Alright. Lily, then." Lily looked slightly offended but joined Remus's side nonetheless.

"A game of Quaffleball, shall we?" Everyone nodded to James's suggestion.

"What's Quaffleball?" Asked Mary.

"It's Quidditch without the Beaters, Bludgers, Seekers, and Snitch. You know, all the stuff we'd have to get permission for." Sirius said. Mary nodded.

"Now, Mary, you'll be Keeper. Leave the scoring to me Sirius." James and Sirius slapped hands and laughed.

"I'll take care of keeping." Said Allyn in the other team's huddle. "I play it usually, I've got the broom for it." Everyone nodded and took to the skies. 

"Peter, if you could toss up the Quaffle?" James yelled to the ground. Peter nodded, and shakily mounted the broom he had borrowed, Quaffle in hand. He came up to their level, then lifted the Quaffle above his head.

"R-r-ready?" He said, wavering. The flying practice was paying off slightly. He tossed the ball straight up, Sirius and Remus shot upwards after it. Sirius got there first, grabbing the ball away. He dove down below Remus and Lily, and James blocked the both of them with strategic placing. Sirius darted on a breakaway at Allyn, curving left, then right, then straightening out and chucking the ball through the hoop.

"Ten points for us!" He said, pumping his fist into the air. Allyn took the ball immediately, shooting forward. He lobbed the ball expertly across the pitch right into Remus's hand, and he sped off quickly. Only James and Mary were left to guard, as Remus had already accelerated and left Sirius in the dust. James shot towards his own goal, looking back to see Remus catching up to him. He shot to the left and stuck out his elbow as Remus passed, successfully knocking the Quaffle out of his hand. 

The ball floated slowly downward, and James shot after it, but Lily barely beat him and Sirius to the ball. She swerved away from both of them, then tossed the ball to Remus again. He faked left and right, then threw the ball just past Mary into the hoop.

"Aha! Beat by a girl!" Lily taunted James and Sirius. Mary picked up the ball. And waited for a moment. James and Sirius had gone into a quick huddle.

"Look at that, there's two guys watching us."

"That's two of the Gryffindor house players. I think they're scouting us."

"I'll show them the Wronski Feint! That'll get me on the team next year!" 

"James, don't be dumb, how're you going to do the Feint without a snitch?"

"You'll see." James smiled, then flew off, catching a toss by Mary. It was getting quite dark out, so the Quaffle was hard to see. This, of course, was all part of the plan. James centered himself on the pitch and began flying straight down it. Lily lined herself up with him, then shot towards him. He looked up; Sirius was right above him. Perfect.

He, without moving his hands, adjusted his knee slightly, whacking the ball straight up. But, of course, from what Lily could see he had done nothing, she couldn't make out the ball. James then pointed his arms downward, as if he'd dropped the Quaffle. He shot down after the imaginary ball, and Lily followed. 

From James peripheral vision he could see the older students had lit their wands to see where the ball had went. James suddenly swerved up moments before hitting the ground; Lily didn't. With a thud she whacked in, though it appeared she had pulled up just in time, so she wasn't injured, simply grounded. She got back up, but before anyone figured it out, Sirius had scored twice.

Allyn finally realized Sirius had been scoring right next to him, and grabbed the ball. Allyn shot downward under Sirius, accelerating quickly. Sirius went to follow, but Allyn tossed the ball to Lily, who tossed it to Remus. He raced past James, and shot the ball in.

"It's getting dark, guys." Said Mary. "I think we should end it when one of us gets to fifty." Everyone heard and nodded, though no one could see. The ball, however was illuminated, both students in the stands had their lit wands pointing to it.

Mary shot forward, then upward, reverse of what Allyn had done, but then threw the ball still higher to Sirius who was flying quite high. He shot it down to James who was barely above the ground, and he shot off to the goal unguarded. Allyn blocked his first attempt, but the ball bounced off and James whacked it in for 10 more points. 

****

"Forty-ten! One more!" Allyn lobbed the ball as far as he could, right into Lily's hands. Sirius caught up with her, but she shot it off to Remus, who James couldn't catch. Remus went in, faked, and-

"SAVE! SHE STOPPED HIM! AHA!" James and Sirius pumped their fists in the air and Mary blushed magnificently. She quickly tossed it to Sirius however, who gave it off to James. 

"Take it James, I've got Remus!" It was true; he and Remus had their arms interlocked and were pushing their Thunderbolts to extremes against each other. They were whipping around quickly and flying higher as one mass.

James smiled.

"Ha, Lily, let's go!" He shot off towards the goal. He faked to the left, Lily bought it. He faked to the right, she bought that too. He went easily past the confused Lily and towards Allyn. Allyn however, had shot towards him, meeting him all the way out at the half line. He tried to fake right and left, but Allyn was too quick. He looked to his left.

"Mary!" He tossed the ball sideways to his keeper, who, from quite a long distance, lobbed the ball into the middle hoop.

"We win! We win!" Everyone grounded themselves. Sirius was helping Remus to his feet; it appeared that that last competition with Sirius made him even more tired and weak than before.

"Are you okay, Remus?" He nodded and smiled, and they walked off towards the stands.

"Excellent game!" Came a voice from where the two lights were.

"_Lumos_." Muttered the group in unison, and their wands lit up as well.

"Hello, there. My name's Max. Max Dorian. This here's William Johnson. Besides Evus McQuent we're the only non-7th years on the house team. You're Gryffindor, right?" They all nodded and introduced themselves.

"Great. I'll see you six for try-outs next year?" They all nodded again. 

"Who was that with the Porksoff Ploy?" Asked William.

"Er, the what?" James asked.

"The Porksoff Ploy! The fake out with the Quaffle!"

"Oh!" Realized James. "That was me."

Just then came six new lights. They all swiveled their heads. Lestrange, Snape, Nott, Vedol, and two fourth years were escorting Peter Pettigrew to where they were standing. Peter ran over as soon as they came close.

"Care for a match? Slytherin versus Gryffindor? A little nighttime Quaffleball?"

"Fine. Three on three plus keepers?" Asked Max to the Slytherins. 

"Fine." Max turned to the Gryffindors.

"Alright. Will, you're keeper. Black, Potter, and me, we'll be Chasers. Sorry to the rest of you." Lily, Mary, and Allyn all nodded. Remus might have been mad by not being selected, he was good, but he was lying on the bleachers.

The Gryffindor players took their brooms and took to the sky. On the opposition were Lestrange, Nott, and the two older students. Snape brought himself up to their level, looking a bit disappointed at not being selected to play, and pointed his wand at the Quaffle. He muttered something, and the ball shot straight upwards. Sirius shot after it, as did Nott. Sirius had the broom advantage this time, though, and Nott was a bit larger. Sirius grabbed the Quaffle quickly and began flying overtop everyone else. 

The older student shot after Sirius, but Max intercepted him, bumping him out of the way. Nero went too, but Sirius dove just as he accelerated, leaving them all in the dust. All that was left was the keeper, another older student. He flew in, about 10 feet above the hoops, ball in hand. He checked the corner of his eye; James was under him at hoop level. 

He raised his arm to throw it, but dropped it and knocked it down with his elbow to James. He quickly caught and threw the Quaffle; 10 points for Gryffindor.

"Ha! Take that Lestrange!" Sirius said, pumping his fist. The Slytherin took it quickly though, and tossed it ahead to Lestrange. He jetted forward; he and the older Chaser were on opposite sides of Max. Max was beating him though, and his chances of a good shot were diminishing. 

Nott suddenly jetted underneath Lestrange, and Lestrange dropped it to him. James was to quick, however, and stole the Quaffle before Nott could grab it, and threw it to Sirius. All the Slytherins were on his side of the pitch, and Sirius had an easy breakaway on the Slytherin keeper. He faked left, then right, then faked a shot, then-

"Score! Woohoo!" Sirius slapped James hand.

"That's it!" Yelled the Slytherin keeper. "Time out! Dorian! Over here!" Max obliged and headed over to the Slytherin keeper. The players formed a circle around them.

"Next point wins. Winner gets the Globus Argentum." Dorian nearly fell off his broom.

"The Globus?"

"Yes." He said. Max gulped. 

"Unless you're afraid? In that case, maybe I should take it-"

"No! You're on. Let's go team!" Max rounded up the team. 

"Alright, guys, let's go. We just need one quick goal. Just do what you've been doing." The team separated. Lestrange had the Quaffle and shot forward quickly. He tossed it back and forth to Nott and the older boy very quickly. It was hard to keep track.

James and Sirius both backed up, they didn't want to risk being passed by. But Slytherin was quick; they were fast approaching the goal. Lestrange finally held the ball for a while, zooming towards the goal. Sirius shot at him, a flying elbow nearly knocked Lestrange off his broom, but he held onto the ball. He tossed it to Nott who chucked it at the goal. Will dove-

"Save!" Yelled Allyn from below. Will threw it, but it was intercepted by the older Slytherin. He threw again, it got by Will.

"No!" Yelled Allyn. But Sirius was quickly flying behind Will. He reached out his hand, fingers deflecting the ball-

"It hit the side! It didn't go in!" James quickly grabbed the ball and jetted past Nott and the older student. It was him and Lestrange, but he saw Sirius above him. It was even darker than before. James adjusted his knee, pointed his hands downward, and shot towards the ground. Lestrange, Nott, and the older student all went for it. James didn't even dare try and pull all the way up. He did so slightly and jumped off onto the ground at the end; Nott and Lestrange both smashed straight in, the older student landed as James did. James looked up. Sirius was heading in alone, he faked once, then tossed it to Max, who put it home. 

"Wronski Feint wins another one!" James yelled pumping his fist.

The three Slytherins got up around him. The looked furious. They all raised their wands-

"_Ferio!_" A blast came from Max's wand and knocked over the older Slytherin. Lestrange and Nott acted quickly.

"_Furnunculus_!" They both shot jets at James. He choked-

"_C-c-Circumvalo!" _A tiny, weak shield sprouted from his wand.

"_Wallo!_" From behind him on both sides jets came together and enlarged the silvery shield to block the curses. James smiled. He raised his wand himself and-

"_Expecto Demori!_" The jets shot back at Lestrange and Nott. Lestrange ducked, but Nott got hit with the blast and fell to the ground with a face full of boils. James looked back. 

Sirius and Remus were both lying on the ground, Lily, Mary, Allyn and Peter looking at them. Max was trying to convince the Slytherin keeper they had won fair and square, and Will and the other Slytherin boy were corralling their house's students to get away from each other and not get into trouble. The Gryffindors sat on the bleachers.

"What's the matter with Remus and Sirius?" Said James, panicking. 

"It's okay, James, we're okay." Sirius said, lifting his hand barely. "The Wallo Spell Enhancer just takes a bit out of you. I think Remus is out cold."

The next morning Sirius and James got up early and headed downstairs to the library. They had agreed to meet Max Dorian there after asking him what the Globus Argentum was. He agreed to show them.

Max was standing at the front of the library, one hand clenched. 

"Here it is, let's go." They walked over to the same table in the corner Lily, Sirius, and James had met at. Max laid his hand on the table, and opened it up. A silver ball, one inch in diameter or so, rolled out. 

"It's a silver snitch!"

"It's a wizwum!" Said Sirius.

"A what?" Asked James.

"It's a wizwum, you know, those little balls that wizards put on their doors, that have the little eyes in them. It's a wizwum." 

"It's the Globus Argentum." Everyone stared.

"Me and Kravitch, that Slytherin kid who was keeper, found this together." Max said.

"How did you find it _together_?" Asked Sirius.

"Well, we're both Seekers for our house teams, and last year there was this chap, probably rich. Used to be a Seeker himself, right? So he has this artifact, the Globus Argentum, and says 'I've hidden this artifact somewhere in the castle, whichever Seeker finds it first gets to keep it, and gets 100 galleons!'. So, Kravitch and me found it at the same time, so we decided to have a competition for it some time. Never found the time though, until now. He at least got 50 galleons."

"Why did the guy give it away?" Asked James.

"My guess is he didn't know what it was, or how to work it. Neither do I, or Professor Dumbledore, or anyone."

"How do you know it's not just a lump of silver?" Asked Sirius.

"Well because it has an inscription. See: '_Globus Argentum de Integumentum Occaecor'_."

"Isn't that Latin? Doesn't someone know Latin?" Asked James.

"Professor Dumbledore does, but he says those words aren't Latin. He says that it's probably an heirloom that needs to be opened by the person meant for it. Weird.

"But, oh well, I guess it was probably just a doorknob for some place called Globus Argentum or something." He tossed it to James.

"You can have it."

"Are you serious?" Asked Sirius.

"No, you're Sirius!" James said. "Haha! Gotcha again!" James doubled up in laughter again.

"I'm going to hit you one of these days." Sirius said, getting up and leaving.

The rest of the day no one did anything. Lily and Sirius would break into discussion about the Remus debacle every time he left but he always came back quickly. James just looked at the Globus Argentum. Remus played chess with Allyn, and Mary was bouncing a ball off a wall.

James was left alone to ponder his Globus Argentum when everyone else went to bed. He sat there in the chair closest to the fire, rolling the ball over in his hand. Finally he pointed his wand at it.

"Open Sesame." Nothing.

"I command you to open." Still nothing.

"Please open." And yet, nothing.

"Please, please, please, please, please!" Nothing.

"Grr! You're so annoying!" He pocketed the ball and headed off towards bed. When he got up there, everyone was asleep, except Sirius who was just getting into bed.

"Ah, so you've given up on that wizwum?" Said Sirius tiredly. 

"Yeah. I reckon you're right." James, too, flopped into his bed, putting the Globus Argentum into his trunk. He laid himself down into his bed, drifting off to an easy sleep.

James was riding on a large winged lion. He was flying over the countryside. He had a cloak on, it was scarlet and gold, Gryffindor's colors. The lion finally made its way to a castle. It wasn't Hogwarts, but rather a plain, square castle with four large towers at each corner. He flew to the farthest tower. The lion let him off on it, then suddenly grew to a massive size, and wrapped itself around the tower. James looked at the one across from him diagonally. There was a serpent around it, and a man atop it. He was clothed as a muggle. Suddenly there was an explosion of green light from the windows of the tower below him, as there was a yellow one from the tower to his right, and a blue one from the tower to his left. James looked down. The lion was still there, wrapped around the tower. There was a ball in his mouth. It was a silver ball.

James woke with a start. He grabbed his pajamas-he wasn't wearing his gold and scarlet cloak any more. He ripped the sheets off of him, and opened the curtains. He thought of waking Sirius, but didn't. He paced the room for a moment.

In a sudden movement James knelt at his trunk, his hands in its lid. He got back up and started pacing again. He walked to the door, hand on the knob. He was thinking of going to Dumbledore, or Evus, or Max. He turned around. 

_It was just a dream_. He thought. _It didn't mean anything. It was just the four houses. The ball...it was just because I was thinking about it. That's all._

James calmed down a bit. He went back into his bed. He fell right asleep.

James was standing on the tower again. The snake across from him was moving. It raised up and looked at him. It shot across the castle, opening its fangs wide, the ball in its mouth. It came right at James, fangs bared-

"Ah!" James woke again. He got up and out, and opened his trunk. He grabbed the ball. He sat on his bed. 

"Got to be something." He looked up. Sirius was staring at him grumpily, head poking through his curtains.

"Sorry." He said.

"Just give that wizwum a rest."

"It's not a wizwum. It's something...."

"Yeah, yeah it isn't." Sirius flopped back onto his bed, behind the curtains.

James looked at the ball again. He took out his wand. He stared at the ball.

"_Globus Argentum de Integumentum Occaecor. _What is it?" He swished his wand.

"_Globus Argentum!"_ Nothing happened again. "_Integumentum Occaecor!_" Nothing again.

"Agh! This is stupid!" 

"Yes it is." Came Sirius's voice from through the curtains. James prodded the ball with his finger.

"Do something!" He prodded it again, with his wand this time. Suddenly the ball became very cold, and almost like a liquid.

"Sirius!" James yelled, hushed.

"What?" He yelled hushed as well, through his curtains.

The ball unfolded as if silvery liquid, though James could feel it was cloth. It spread out over his knees and legs, and to the floor.

"What?!" Sirius opened his curtains and looked out.

"What is it?" Asked James in a panicked tone.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak!"


	7. Chapter Seven: The Shrieking Shack

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 7: The Shrieking Shack

The next morning was even more interesting. Once again, there was no speaking. Lily, Sirius and James all made the decision to confront Remus.

_What am I going to do about that cloak? It really should be Max's. Not mine. But then think of all the mischief!_

_Look at him._ Thought Sirius. _He's been a Werewolf all this time. Never told us. We're good friends aren't we? I guess it is sort of a touchy subject. But how could he think he could hide it forever? Did he intend on telling us? How will he react when we tell him? How will we keep it from the other guys at the table?_

Oh, geez. Thought Lily. _Why can't we just tell these guys? Allyn, Mary, Peter, they're all good people. They can know. I realize it's touchy a subject, but really, Remus can confide in us. We won't tell any Slytherins. Would he be mad if we told someone who didn't already know? Would anyone care?_

Look at them. They know about me. They're all eyeing me. They know. Should I just tell them? It's a touchy subject. I wish I had told them about it. Now they'll tell me they know. Will they tell everyone? Will they abandon me? All the Gryffindors are here. What am I going to do?

Why is everyone looking at everyone so tensely? Thought Peter._ This is making me nervous now. They're all looking nervous too, I'm getting really nervous. I have to go to the bathroom. I'm hungry too. What an odd combination. Kind of like strawberries and chicken. But it tastes good, really. Or did Mum just charm it so it would taste better? Does she do that whenever I cook something new? I am that good a chef?_

Sirius swallowed. 

"Er, Remus. We know. About your secret." Remus went pale as a ghost.

"What secret?" Asked Peter.

"Er, about Remus's...um-"

"Uncle. His Uncle, William. The one who is an Animagus. He can turn into a wolf." Remus's eyes widened.

"You, know about my...Uncle?"

"Yeah. We put it together- we, er, noted your symptoms."

"And, the timing of each visit, er, makes it obvious." Remus nodded glumly. Everyone around the four who knew looked confused.

"Ah well, how about a snowball fight!" James said quickly, standing up.

"Sounds like fun!" Said Sirius, standing up as well. The group agreed and headed outside for the fight. Sirius was laughing loudly.

"Boys versus girls! We'll cream them!" 

"Sirius. There are two girls and five boys. I don't think so." Mary said. 

"I think I'll sit this one out, guys." Said Lily. She sat herself down on a snow hill and began reading a book.

"Alright then. Me and Sirius are captains!" James slapped Sirius's hand.

"Ok, I take Allyn." Said Sirius.

"Remus!" James said.

"Mary!" Called Sirius.

"Er...Peter." James said quite unenthusiastically. 

It was quite an exhausting game of snowball fighting, mainly because no one knew the spell to shoot, form, or blow up snowballs. Peter especially missed blowing up, as he was creamed by the most snowballs, and could have used an anti-snowball defense.

The thing that most intrigued James was Sirius and Mary walking up the steps back to the castle, arm on each other's shoulder, laughing crazily. James looked back at Lily through the melting snow dripping from his eyebrows. She and Allyn were talking; they seemed to do that a lot. James growled quietly to himself.

While everyone else headed off, James decided to go talk to Max about the Cloak. He found him on the pitch, practicing with the Gryffindor team, all of whom had stayed for the Holidays. 

A whistle blew, and the seven players landed.

"Ah! James!" Yelled Max from the pitch. He, Evus, and William walked over to the bleachers.

"Ach, so yeh know Jehmes? He's a gehd kid."

"He's a good Quidditcher, he'll be Gryffindor's next Seeker, I know it." William and Evus looked taken aback by what Max had said.

"You're not playing next year?" William asked.

"No, I am, but I'm afraid I've gotten to big to be a Seeker. Some can Seek until seventh year, but me, no, I'll Chase next year." 

"Wow." William said.

"Er, that's great, but Max, can I have a word?" 

"Sure, James. Guys?" Evus and William nodded and walked back to the pitch.

"Yes, James?" He asked.

"Er, about the Globus. Did you try tapping it with your wand?" 

"Why, yes, James, I did. Why?"

"Well, I did," James said, gulping, "And it melted. Into an Invisibility Cloak." Max's jaw dropped.

"An...an Invisibility Cloak?"

"Y-yes. Do you want it?" 

"No! No, it's yours! You made it come out its yours, and probably for a reason." Max walked away quickly before James could say another thing.

James wandered the Hogwarts corridors for a while. He didn't know where Professor Dumbledore's office was. He was admiring a beautiful sculpture of a gargoyle when Professor Scuro came by.

"Ah, James. How are ya'?

"Good, Professor. You wouldn't happen to know where Professor Dumbledore's office is, do you? I would like to talk to him." Professor Scuro squinted at James.

"Talk about what? He's a busy man, James." 

"Er, about my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I have him for a teacher, I have Mary Longbottom in my class, so you know-"

"Ah. I see, James." Scuro said raising his hand. "No need to explain further. Candied Kerblap."

"What?" But the gargoyle had suddenly sprung to life and hopped aside.

"It's right here, James." Professor Scuro walked James up the staircase that had suddenly appeared behind the gargoyle.

Professor Scuro knocked on the door.

"Professor Dumbledore?" The door opened.

"Yes, Byron? Ah, hello, James." Professor Dumbledore was sitting at a desk in a round office. It was adorned with pictures of former headmasters, and some very strange objects, as well as a large bookshelf full of books.

"James wanted to talk to you. I'll leave you two alone then." Professor Scuro bowed slightly and left.

"Now, James, what would you like?" Professor Dumbledore looked at him just above his half-moon shaped spectacles. 

"Y-you know Latin, right?" Asked James.

"Why, yes, James, I know many languages. Would you like me translate something?"

"Yes. _Globus Argentum de Imagumentum Occaecor._ Any idea?"

"Well..." Dumbledore said looking slightly surprised. "Globus Argentum. That means Silver Ball. I'm afraid I don't understand the rest." James nodded. He got up, and swiftly pulled the Invisibility Cloak over his head.

"Well," he said from behind his cloak, "must be going then." He turned around and started towards the door.

"Aha! James, so you've discovered the cloak." Dumbledore put his hand down on James's invisible shoulder. 

"It seems we need to have a talk. Sit down, please." 

"And then, I just tapped it, and it opened." James finished.

"Hmm. James, always remember that you must take dreams very seriously. They can bring news of the future, instructions, all sorts of things. Now, does anyone know about the cloak?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Er, Sirius does. And Max."

"Ah. Well, lets keep it between you three."

"Okay, Professor. I have one more question, though."

"Yes, James?" 

"Why was it just me who could open the ball? Why not Max, or that old man who gave it to him?"

"Well, James, it was meant for you. It was your father's. He was seeker when he played, and it was stolen from him when he lost it during a Quidditch match. By another Seeker. When he couldn't decipher it, he gave it away. Why don't you get off to bed? Its quite late." James nodded and headed off to his dorm.

The next morning James awoke to the furious prods of Sirius.

"Sirius? What are you doing up so early? And waking me up!"

"James! Its Christmas!" Sirius pointed to the end of his bed, and jumped towards his own. James pulled himself to there, where a mound of presents greeted him.

"Excellent!" Without getting out of his bed, James grabbed the top present. He went through his relative's presents quickly; they were all books. He came to an unmarked gift, his last one.

"Hmm, I wonder what this is." He slowly ripped off the wrapping to find a silver box. James searched for a lid, or a keyhole, but there was none.

"What's that, James?" Asked Remus.

"I don't know. Just a silver box. Doesn't open." James shrugged and shoved it under his bed. Allyn, who appeared to have gotten up early and already finished opening and examining his presents, stood up.

"I'll be eating breakfast." The group nodded and Allyn walked downstairs.

"Glad he's gone!" Remus said.

"Why? Allyn's a good guy!" James responded squeakily.

"No, I mean, now we can talk about me being a werewolf freely! Since he doesn't know!" Sirius and James had gone white. They both pointed over Remus's shoulder. He turned around. Peter was sitting behind him, white as well.

"So, that's the whole story. I'm a werewolf." Remus had explained the entire thing to Peter.

"S-so, you w-won't b-bite us?" Remus shook his head.

"No! No, I'd never!"

"Why do you go underneath the Whomping Willow?" Asked Sirius suddenly.

"Aha! I can show you!" Remus walked them out of the dormitory. "But we'll have to make sure Allyn doesn't see us." And so they ventured to the Entrance Hall, slipping past the Great Hall quickly, so Allyn couldn't see them.

When they made it outside thick snow covered the grounds.

"Great! There's a snow hill in front of the Whomping Willow, no one will see us!" Remus led the three boys around the large dune.

"This is the Whomping Willow. Professor Dumbledore had it planted here to guard the entrance to my safe house."

"Your what?" James asked.

"My safe house. Come on, let's go!" Remus grabbed a stick near the ever-raging tree. He poked a knot in the root. It froze. 

"Ah, so that's how you did it!" Sirius said, raising a finger.

"Come on in!" Remus waved them into the hole at the Willow's base. Remus in the lead again, they walked, slightly hunched, into a long passageway. It felt like hours before a dim light hit their eyes from an opening. They crawled in to find themselves in what looked like a house. It was a bit dusty and old looking, but otherwise looked like a normal house. Except for a large slash into the wall.

"This is where I transform every full moon." Remus raised his hands and made air quotes.

"'The Shrieking Shack'." Sirius and James gasped.

"I heard about the Shrieking Shack! It's a building that got condemned last year, and now there are horrible shrieking ghosts in it!" Sirius said as he shrunk to the floor and curled up in a ball. Peter Pettigrew shot back into the hole from which they came and curled into a ball as well.

"So you make the shrieks, is that it?" James asked. Remus nodded.

"Professor Dumbledore spread the rumor that it's haunted to make sure no one figures out its me. All the teachers encourage it too."

"Wow!" Sirius said, suddenly excited. "Our own clubhouse! Great!" Sirius ran upstairs. "There's a bathroom! We could live here!" Sirius yelled.

"Sirius, shh! If some hears human voices in here, they could suspect its not haunted!" Sirius came back downstairs nodding.

"Anyway, we should get back. Allyn'll be wondering where we are." Sirius and Remus nodded, re-entering the hole where Peter already was.

"Why do you shriek?" Asked James, still standing in the room.

"Er...what?" Asked Remus poking his head out.

"Why do you shriek? Do you do it when you transform?" Remus nodded.

"I, well, I shriek when I turn into a wolf. Its sort of a painful experience." James nodded.

"Well, why can't you just stay in the dormitory when you transform? Or Dumbledore's office-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Remus said quickly, dashing into the passageway past Peter and Sirius.

After explaining to Allyn how Marus trying to get them in trouble sidetracked them, the group had a delicious breakfast. 

"So, what next?" Asked James, patting his belly.

"A chess match, Sirius?" Asked Lily.

"Sure. You're on!" Sirius said standing up.

"I think that I'll go visit Hagrid." Said Remus.

"What? Hagrid? Isn't he that massive groundskeeper?" Asked Allyn.

"Erm, yeah. I met him a bit back. He's a nice guy." Remus said scratching his head. "Well, gotta go." Remus turned sharply and walked out of the Hall.

"Well. I reckon I'll spectate, then." Said James.

Remus didn't bother to put his winter cloak on, and just went out onto the grounds in his robes.

"Hello? M-mister Hagrid?" Remus said as he knocked on the door.

"Ah, one second." Came Hagrid's loud voice through the door. He opened it quickly, and shot his black eyes down at Remus.

"It's me...Remus...Remus Lupin. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah! Remus! I did off'r you a talk din' I?"

"Oh...are you busy?"

"No, no 'em not!

"Oh. Ok." He said. 

"Cim'n. Don't mind this stuff. Just takin' me juice." Remus's eyes widened. In Hagrid's shack was a huge torch, and a cauldron sitting on ice. Hagrid lifted the cauldron and poured the dark blue liquid inside it into a huge goblet. Hagrid gripped it easily.

"Now, fer the secret ingredient!" Hagrid said, raising a massive finger. He suddenly turned around, grabbed the torch, and tapped the top of his 'juice' with it. The liquid suddenly burst into flames. 

"Din' worry, goes down easy with some ice!" Hagrid said. Remus gulped. Hagrid grabbed a handful of the blue ice that lie under the cauldron, dropping some into his drink. Remus hardly thought that would do any good. 

"Now, Remus, what have yeh come here ter talk ter me about?" Hagrid said, gulping some of the flames. 

"Oh, well you see, my friends, three of them, know about me. They found out that I'm a werewolf." Remus, too, was now starting to become appetized by the flaming concoction. "And they took it really well! They understood and everything!"

"Really?" Asked Hagrid sipping. "They din't abandon yeh? Din't leave yeh high 'n dry?"

"No!" Retorted Remus. "Quite the opposite! They were very understanding! I even showed them the Whomping Willow!" Remus kept back their visit to the Shrieking Shack in case that was breaking a rule.

"In fact," he went on "I was thinking of just telling everyone." Hagrid nearly dropped his flames as he stood up.

"No! Yeh can't do that! There's a reason that Dumbledore kept it quiet, there's a reason yeh got that shack and that Dumbeldore spread those rumors about those ghosts there! Your friends may be understandin', but 'em sure that not everyone will be! Parents will send notes in about a werewolf in their kid's presence, they won't have it!" Remus's eyes filled up. 

"Aw, 'em sorry Remus, I just know that people aren't always ok with things like that. I know from experience." Remus rubbed his nose with his robe sleeve.

"I suppose you're right." Remus wondered how Hagrid knew about being different like he was, but he quickly dismissed it. People must have just not liked him because he was big. 

"Would you like some?" Hagrid thrust his fiery goblet forward. "I call it 'Lion's Fire'".

"Er, no thanks." Remus smiled. Hagrid returned it, and placed his goblet on the table.

"But, it does look good. Could you tell me how to make it?" Hagrid beamed.

"Sure! Yeh see, it all starts with butterbeer mixed with berry flavored juice. Top it off with an ounce o' rum, which adds its flammability. Simply add some ice that has been Flame-Freezing Charmed, and there yeh go. Simple as that." 

"Wow, did you make that up yourself?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, I did. Kinda by accident. Oh, and Remus, fer flaver, yeh can use a little more rum." He said with a wink. Hagrid suddenly slapped his face. "Never shoulda' offered ya, should I've? You're too young fer that!" Remus laughed, then checked his watch.

"Well, best be going Hagrid. Thanks for the talk!" 

"No problem, Remus, not at all." Hagrid waved and Remus ran out the door, through the snow and back up to the common room, where Sirius and Lily were still opposing each other in the game of chess. James stood close by, examining the board and the players thoroughly, and mumbling to himself every so often. Peter was attempting to do so as well, however, his stare was with the air of confusion rather than intense pondering.

"Hello, all." Remus said after watching the group for a moment. James snapped from his concentration, Peter looked up, though Lily and Sirius simply waved their hands vaguely while still focusing intently upon the chessboard. 

"Have a chat with Hagrid?" Asked James.

"Yeah. We talked about-" Remus surveyed the room. He didn't know Lily knew. "-things. Best of all he taught me how to make this cool drink! Though I don't know where we'll get the ingredients. Maybe at Three Broomsticks...but how would we get to Hogsmeade?" Everyone stared at Remus.

"Er...what is so special about this drink?" Asked Lily, a bit angered by the disruption of her thought. It was, after all, her turn. 

"Eh...nothing...it just looked good..." Remus hung his head in a kind of embarrassed way. 

"Er, don't worry Remus, we'll find your er...ingredie-nts." James said scratching his head.

"Ah, ok. Well, tomorrow's first day back, isn't it?" They all nodded, except Sirius and Lily who had gone back to playing chess.

"Checkmate, Lily!" Sirius said standing up suddenly, raising his fists.

"Sirius, you didn't even make a move." Lily said plainly.

"Oh. Right." Sirius positioned his knight.

"There we go. Checkmate! Aha! We're two-and-two!" Lily's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you did use enough tricks in that match. I doubt you'll have any left to save your hide the next time we play."

"This mind can pump out a million of 'em, Lil'." She narrowed her eyes once again.

"Someone with an adjective for a name shouldn't go off calling people by things they don't like." Sirius stuck out his tongue.

"What shall we do now?" Asked Remus.

"Hey, you guys can meet Llanpeter!" 

"Than-peter? What?"

"Llanpeter. He's James's snow owl." Answered Sirius.

"Ahhh." Lily, Peter, and Remus nodded.

"I don't have an owl, just a toad. But, my mum wouldn't let me take him here. Somehow thought I'd lose him..." Peter said glumly.

"I've got one. It's a great big barn owl." Replied Remus. Stretching his hands to exaggerate the size of his owl.

"Mine is this tawny. Fastest owl there is." Sirius said surely.

"Well, then, we'll all make a trip to Owlery!"

So the group ventured off the to the tower-top in which the owls lived.

"How do you spell Lan-peter anyway?" Asked Remus. 

"_Llanpeter_. Lan-peter, seriously. Its spelled L-L-A-N-P-E-T-E-R."

"LL? At the beginning? I thought it was 'Thlan'?" Asked Peter, scratching his head.

"LL at the beginning of a word make kind of a 'thhl' in Welsh. Put your tongue behind your teeth and blow air out the sides. And then a little L-ish sound at the end. Ask Allyn."

"Allyn's Welsh?" Asked Peter with great surprise on his face.

"Yes! Of course he is! Allyn Synwyd? With all those 'Y's? What else would he be?"

"Oh, yeah!" Peter said, smacking his forehead. Suddenly, many owls woke from their sleep and took to the air. The dove down and flew and hurtling speeds along the Owlery floor. They flew straight for Peter.

"Aaagh!" He yelled. They whipped themselves at Peter, beating their wings furiously against his head.

"Aaagh! Let's get out of here!" Peter led the way, waving his hands furiously, running towards the steps. Sirius shrugged to Remus, and they followed closely after.

After two flights of stairs the owls finally retreated.

"Wonder why they did that." James said.

"I don't know, but I'm never going back up there! Er...unless you guys go...." Peter said, heart racing.

"I don't think we shall then. Say, where _is_ Allyn?"

"Er, he went off to speak to Professor Flitwick about his grades I think. Something like that." Sirius answered.

"Let's go check back in the common room, and see if he's come back. He'll have no idea where we are." So the group returned to the common room, empty but for them.

"No sign of Allyn here." Said Remus.

"Or my chess set!" Screamed Sirius. It was true; all of Lily's pieces that had been ruthlessly thrown off the table were still in a heap on the floor, but all of Sirius's pieces, which were both on the board, and to the side, were gone, as well as the chessboard itself.

"Where did it go?" Yelled Sirius, twisting his head in every direction.

"Maybe Allyn put it away! He must've not seen my pieces on the floor!" But just then, Allyn entered the room through the portrait hole.

"You! Allyn!" Peter yelled pointing a finger. "You're _Welsh_?" Allyn was taken aback.

"Er, yeah. Yeah I am."

"Allyn, have you seen my chess pieces?" Sirius asked slightly less enthusiastically. 

"No. I haven't been up here since this morning when I was opening presents." Sirius rubbed his chin furiously.

"Well where'd they go? They couldn't have just gotten up and left!" Sirius yelled. He suddenly put his hand to his mouth. "Oh. I suppose they might have." 

****


	8. Chapter Eight: The Society of Lion's Fir...

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 8: The Society of Lion's Fire

The first class on Tuesday was Defense against the Dark Arts with Dumbledore, everyone's favorite.

"Today we'll be going over a peculiar dark practice. I was unsure about whether this should wait until your third year, when you will be discussing creatures, but this really does fall more under dark charms. In any case, on to Metamagi." Those in the class who weren't really paying attention quickly took notice.

"Of course you all know about Animagi, I'm sure Miss McGonagall informed all of you about them. However, many _dark_ wizards feel that to become an Animagus is not enough. They want different characteristics of different animals to maximize their abilities. This is where Metamagicism, also called Chaemarism, comes into play. 

"Metamagicism is an evil perversion of Animagicism. Through this, the wizard will become a combination of animal characteristics to their specification. This is highly dangerous and requires even more time and training than to become an Animagus. It is outlawed by the Ministry of Magic. 

"Now, on to defense. The primary objective when defending yourself against a Metamagus, also known as a Chimaera Mage, is a strong offense. And the basis of that is to _aim_ _for the seams_. Because there are unnatural bonds between, let's say, a tiger's claw and a human's arm, there is a weakness in the magic. What is necessary is a powerful spell; one I'm afraid you may not be able to perform for some time, which unbinds the Metamagus's magical animal-parts. The incantation goes as follows:

"_Desmetus magus!_" Dumbledore exclaimed with perfect pronunciation, though he didn't flick his wand and perform the spell. He showed them the hand movements and discussed a short history of the Metamagi, then moved on.

Sirius was still unable to find his chess-set by Wednesday, and Astronomy that night was certainly no help to his mood.

"I tell you what, I'll cheer you up during Astronomy. I think I might be able to get away with it." Remus said chuckling as he started on a large bowl of Jell-O, while James, Sirius, Peter, and the others started to go to Astronomy.

As usual, Remus came in late to Astronomy, though a while back he decided to do so in not such a manner that might eventually anger Professor Marus. Immediately he sat in his astronomy station, peering into his telescope. He did, after all, enjoy Astronomy. After a while, however, Remus got up, and walked to Professor Marus's desk.

"What is he doing?" Whispered Sirius to James. Professor Marus looked up from his gazing and stopped talking. Remus was behind him, and he didn't seem him. He was, however, staring at Sirius and James. 

Remus suddenly climbed onto Marus's desk and started dancing. Sirius burst into laughter and James stifled giggles and wiped tears from his eyes. Marus didn't bother find out what was making them laugh-

"Black! Potter! Quiet! 20 points from Gryffindor!" Marus returned his eye to the lens and began lecturing again. "As for the placement of the constellation...." Remus continued his tap routine, then turned swiftly and kicked Professor Marus's chair right out the window.

Sirius and James this time laughed harder than ever, though they were able to keep them inaudible. It was so hard James got the hiccups and Sirius felt as if he'd broken a few ribs.

"Er, Professor?" Remus said still standing on the desk.

"Yes, Remus?" He asked, turning to face him.

"I was standing on your desk here, to get a better of view of the constellation, when I, er, _accidentally_ knocked your chair out the window. May I retrieve it?" Marus looked thoughtfully at him.

"I suppose so."

"Oh, and it'll be some work, it _is_ a heavy chair. May James and Sirius help me?" 

"Alright."

"Oh, and we might take longer than the class will last. May we take our books in case we have to leave straight away?" Professor Marus sighed.

"Yes, yes, go on now." Remus happily jumped off the desk, gathered his things and walked out with James and Sirius.

"Wow, thanks, Remus!" Once they were safely out of earshot of Professor Marus, Sirius and James exchanged high-fives. 

"Man, are we ever lucky to have you in our class, Remus." Sirius said as they walked out onto the grass following a long descent from the tower.

"Want to just go to bed?" Asked James. 

"No, no, we may as well take advantage of this." Remus said, as he pointed to the chair upside down on the lawn. "After we get that chair back up anyway."

"Well, we better wait until after the bell rings to do that, because if we magic that chair up there right away, Marus will be expecting us back in class. We've got to make him think it took us a while to get down." Remus and Sirius nodded in agreement, and the three boys simply lay down in the snow. 

"Do you reckon Lily, Mary, and Peter will be mad for me not getting them out of class too?" Asked Remus.

"I don't think so. Asking Peter to help you with something isn't very believable, and Lily and Mary would scoff at the idea of cutting class." Sirius sat up. 

"I wish I knew where my chessmen were." He said quite suddenly and glumly. "I mean, I know that I shouldn't be so dumb about chess pieces, but I've had those guys since I was four. I even named them. They listened to me."

"We know, Sirius. It must be devastating. You know-" James thrust his wand into the ground as he sat up as well. "-this sort of thing shouldn't happen to us. We're the popular ones. We're the smart ones. We should _own_ this school." Remus sat up as well. 

"Well, that's a startling declaration." He said casually.

"No, I think James is right." Sirius said. "We _should_ be on top at this school. At least among first years. I mean, I don't think _anyone_ but us knows about that secret passage from the Astronomy Tower to the room right by the Fat Lady."

"You're right!" Said James. "And I bet there's more, just waiting to be uncovered! And we'll find them! We'll know them all, we'll be the smartest, the best Quidditchers, the funniest, and best of all, the biggest troublemakers!" James slapped Sirius's hand. Suddenly immense excitement fell over Remus's face.

"Well, if we're going to do this, we're going to do this right!" Remus said punching a fist in the air.

"How?" Asked James and Sirius in unison.

"Well, easy. We'll find a secret passageway that's nice and large...or, if we're lucky, a whole secret room! We'll have a secret club!"

"Whoa!" Said Sirius looking quite apprehensive and holding his hands up. "Not a secret society! Those are for the loony evil guys! Who praise evil and all that stuff! We're not going to become one of those!"

"Wait, I think I like Remus's idea. I think that a secret society would be cool. As long as we don't get all evil and so forth." Sirius still looked slightly hesitant.

"I don't know...we could get in trouble...." Sirius said nervously.

"Oh, Sirius, don't be such a baby! What are troublemakers _supposed_ to do?" Sirius put his hand to his chin.

"Yeah, I reckon you're right."

"It's formed then! The Society of...." James trailed off.

"Uh, Gryffindor?" Sirius said.

"No, not Gryffindor. If the name ever got out, 200 people would be asking to come in. Something cooler, but obviously relating to Gryffindor. So it's obvious that only Gryffindors are allowed."

"Lion's Fire!" Said Remus pointing his finger in the air. 

"Sounds good!" Sirius and James chorused.

"Alright then, The Society of Lion's Fire is hereby initiated! Let the first meeting commence!"

"I vote that James be King!" Said Remus.

"I second that!" Sirius said quickly.

"Ok, I suppose I'm King then!" James said proudly.

"Uh-oh, guys, I think this meeting is adjourned. We've gotta get that chair up, class just got out!" The three friends quickly got up and ran over to the chair.

"Wingardium Leviosa on three?" Asked James.

"Yeah." Sirius nodded.

"Alright...1...2...3!" The three put their wands out.

"_Wingardium leviosa_!" The chair suddenly shot upwards, climbing the tower three-fourths of the way until slowing down.

"Just a few feet more!" Said James as they struggled to keep the chair on its ascending path.

"Almost got it...." Suddenly however, the chair lifted easily the rest of the way and landed softly inside. James turned around.

"Lily! Thanks a lot." Remus said, turning around as well.

"It took you guys that long just to get it that high up? I thought you were good at Charms, James." 

"Nah, we just started when we heard the bell ring. We were just lying here."

"You guys were cutting class?" Asked Lily, enraged.

"Oh, don't worry, Lily. Remus here is an expert, he didn't miss anything."

"Yeah, but what about you guys?" 

"Guys, do you think we should enlist Lily?" Sirius asked, changing the subject.

"Enlist me into what?" Remus looked at Sirius and James nervously.

"We _could_ use a girl. Might add a new perspective to the SLF."

"What's the SLF?"

"Well, Lily, you did get down here awfully fast...Did you find a shortcut?" Inquired James.

"Actually, yes. I found one behind the portrait of the Sphinx, it leads right down to behind that silver suit of armor on the first basement level."

"Mmm. I'd say she's worthy." Remus said, stroking his chin.

"Alright. Lily, The Society of Lion's Fire cordially extends a hand of welcome to you as our latest member."

"The _what_?" Lily asked, squinting here eyes.

"Why the Society of Lion's Fire!" Sirius said sounding slightly offending.

"A secret club devoted to being the smartest, best Quidditching, most troublemaking, funniest, and all-in-all most secretive club in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Impressive. Alright, I'll join your little club."

"Society!" Remus yelled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, society."

"Alright members, meeting...erm, exactly 48 hours from now!" James proclaimed.

"Twelve forty-eight AM Saturday morning? That's an awfully odd meeting time."

"Well its tradition. Starting now. Members, your job from now till then is to...uh, look for secret passageways!" James proclaimed again.

"Alright! In the meantime, lets get to bed, because Marus is going to bite our heads off if not!" The group quickly ran in and to their dormitories.

Over the next few days James, Remus, and Sirius did nothing but scour the halls for secret passages. Every time they saw something that looked as if it may have had a passage behind it, one of them would shake it, poke it, tickle it, and use at least 5 different spells on it.

"Nothing." Said James tiredly as he collapsed into his desk during Astronomy that Friday morning.

"This castle has nothing. Nothing but those two. And maybe a few more passages, but I doubt any of them are any good." Sirius replied drearily. Even Remus was so distraught he forgot to be late for Astronomy.

After sleeping through that class, James led the group back out onto the grounds.

"So no one found anything?" Asked James.

"Hey, that's material for the meeting tonight." Said Sirius. "We're gonna have nothing to talk about!" Remus looked over the grounds.

"We could discuss that drink that I told you about." Remus said, still gazing outward. "That's where the Society got its name. Lion's Fire."

"Oh? Why don't you just tell me, and we'll make some for the meeting tonight. It could be our official drink." Sirius said in monotone, bored and gazing out at the forest now as well.

"Wait! I have an idea!" James said suddenly. "How do you make this drink, Remus?" 

"Well its simple really. Just combine butterbeer, berry juice and...er, well, rum."

"Rum!? What are you mad? We're troublemakers, not lawbreakers!"

"Not much! It's just for flammability."

"Flammability?" Asked Sirius, in a 'that's-far-too-dangerous' tone.

"Yeah, that's what makes it so unique! You light in on fire. I bet we could use cooking alcohol instead. That's okay for us." 

"And you _drink_ the fire?" Sirius yelled.

"Well, you add ice to it. But you do a Flame-Freezing Charm on the ice first. Makes it go down easy... says Hagrid." Sirius still looked at Remus as if he was missing his arms, though James was now thinking hard.

"To tell you the truth, Remus, I don't know the Flame-Freezing Charm." James said, slightly disappointed.

"Nor do I." Sirius said with a sigh.

"Well, we could ask Hagrid." Said Remus pointing to his distant cabin.

"Hey, guys! Hey!" Lily came bounding down the grounds with a huge grin on her face.

"Hello, Lily, what is it?" 

"I just found some-"

"Lily, do you know the Flame-Freezing Charm?" Sirius interrupted.

"Er, no. Sorry." She said. She looked even more disappointed than James did.

"Well then, to Hagrid's." Remus said, leading the short way to the small living quarters. Remus knocked on the door.

"Hagrid? It's me Remus. I have some friends."

"One second." Hagrid opened the door. Once again he had his fire blazing, his cauldron on ice.

"Oh, hello. And yeh must be Remus's friends." James and Sirius held out their hands.

"James Potter."

"Sirius Black."

"And I'm Lily Evans." Lily added.

"Ah, Potter 'n Black. Ah've heard about yeh. Quite the troublemakers yeh are." James and Sirius put their hands to their faces, pretending to blush. 

"Oh, you're too kind Mister Hagrid."

"Cm'n, its teh cold out there." Hagrid waved them in with his massive hand.

"Remus, not ter bring up a sore subject, but when's the next time-" Remus pointed to Lily and shook his head subtly as possible.

_She doesn't know! _Remus thought. Hagrid immediately understood the gesture.

"-Er, when's the next time yer gonna visit yer...ah, uncle."

_Ah, so Remus told Hagrid he leaves because of his uncle. I see._

"Uh, yeah, Remus, your Uncle. When's the next time?" Asked James.

"Oh, in a week or so. Anyway, Hagrid, what's the Flame-Freezing Charm? We wanna know for our own Lion's Fire...."

"Oh, yeh want ter know that..." Hagrid scratched his head, embarrassed. He completely forgot to tell them to not consume illegal substances (for he had no idea they would be using cooking alcohol).

"Ter tell yeh the truth, Ah'm not supposed ter use magic." Hagrid went red.

"Oh Hagrid, we won't tell anyone." Remus slyly said, winking.

"Ach...well, I suppose. Yeh just raise yer wand and say 'Gelifugus!' Got it? Now, head back, I've got ter tend ter the lake. I heard there's a squid in it." Hagrid shooed them, put out the flame, which appeared to be almost entirely consumed, and started out with a bow and a quiver of arrows.

The four returned to their spot in the snow.

"Well, that helps. Now we just need to find butterbeer, berry juice, and some cooking wine. No problem. Really." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Actually, guys, I think not." Lily said smiling brightly.

"Why? Did you find something?" Sirius asked excitedly. 

"Yes! That's what I came here for in the first place!" Lily scolded. "I was going to tell you that I, instead of looking around the castle like an idiot, went to the library."

"And you found a book that shows all the secret passageways?" James squeaked.

"No!" Lily said, stomping her foot. "I mean to tell you that I found a spell that opens hidden passages!" Sirius shrieked. 

"Yeeeeaaaaah!" 

"Lily, I could kiss you!" James said excitedly. Silence fell. 

"What?" He asked. "It's an expression!" 

"The incantation is 'Dissendium', with a tap of the wand!" 

"Well, team, we've got eight and a half hours! Go, go, go!" Yelled James. The four immediately shot in each direction, racing into the castle, wands out.

"Hmm." Thought Remus. He was face to face with a picture of fruit. He had raced down to the basement as James, Sirius and Lily going upward.

"How shall you open?" He tapped the painting. "_Dissendium!_" Nothing.

"Maybe...Open Sesame?" Still nothing. Remus poked it. He slapped it. He tickled it. Suddenly, the pear wobbled, and turned into a handle.

"Yes!" Remus opened the door. Inside was a massive room full of stoves and tables, and at least one hundred small elves. 

"The kitchens!" Remus looked around.

"Ah, so Hogwarts uses house elves as well. Interesting."

Meanwhile, Sirius was pondering a slightly protruding brick on the same long corridor at the end of which hung the Fat Lady.

"I _know_ you're a secret. I've tried everything. Everything but-_dissendium_!" Sirius tapped the brick, and it suddenly sunk into the wall.

"Aha!" Sirius triumphantly punched the air. He looked at the wall. He touched and prodded it.

"Now what the-" But Sirius turned around to find what had happened. Behind him a semi-large hole had formed.

"Aha!" Sirius enthusiastically dove headfirst into the hole. He heard the brick door slam shut behind him, as he slid down a damp, sometimes bumpy, stone slide. When he hit the bottom he brushed himself off and stood.

"Oh, er didn't mean to intrude." Sirius said nervously, reaching slowly for his dropped wand.

"_Dissendium!_" Attempted Lily upon a statue of Merlin on the fifth floor.

"Hmmm. Not dissendium, eh? Well I suppose I haven't tried anything else." Lily prodded it in every way she could imagine, though still nothing happened.

"Shoot!" She frustratedly moved on. She then came a picture of a very old looking woman, underneath which was a nameplate. 

"Gadadnaia Vi." Lily read.

"That's my name." Croaked the witch. An idea sprung into Lily's mind.

"Gadadnaia...that's a pretty name."

"My friends call me Naia."

"Oh, I see. Naia. Say, Naia-Miss Vi, you wouldn't happen to know if there are any...secret passages around here, would you?" Naia put her hand to her chin.

"Actually, yes there is. I don't mind telling you; you look like an honest girl. There's one right behind me." Lily stepped back.

"Really? Wow! Er- there is?" Naia nodded wisely.

"Just say the password, I'll open up. It's been years since, though." Naia sighed.

"Er, would you mind telling it to me?" Naia nodded.

"Sure. It's 'Gwabble-Quob'." She said.

"Ah. Gwabble-Quob then." Naia smiled as the painting slid down as if on a track, to reveal a passage no more than three feet tall. Lily heard footsteps, put aside her doubts, and dove headfirst into the opening, Naia shutting behind her.

"Sirius, what do you think you're doing?" Asked James. Sirius stepped closer.

"Oh, it's you James. I didn't see you-I was about to blow your head off." James chuckled.

"Sure you were." 

"So where's this passage come out?" Asked Sirius.

"Some protruding brick in the potions corridor." James answered, lighting his wand.

"Really? The other side's just near the Fat Lady! We can take our time to Potions!" Sirius and James slapped hands, then headed up the path Sirius had fallen down. Upon reaching the top using the bumps in the slide as grips, James put his hand to the solid stone wall.

"Now what?" He asked Sirius.

"I don't know. All I did was tap the stone and say 'dissendium'. That's all." Sirius answered, his grip on the bump slipping. "Could you hurry it up? I'm slipping."

"Alright then," James said, raising his wand. He tapped the wall with a "_Dissendium!_" Nothing.

"Now's not the time to not be able to find out how to open this thing, Sirius!" James said, his tone rising. 

"I...I don't know why it's not working!" 

"Well, why don't weeeeaaaaaaaaaagh!" James's grip slipped from the bumps in the passage and slid on the slimy rock to the bottom.

"James!?" Sirius yelled, alarmed. 

"I'm okay!" James yelled. "I was just saying that we should try the other entrance!" Ah yes, Sirius thought. He cautiously slid down to the small area that connected the tunnels, illuminated only by the light of their wands.

"Alright, easy down..." Sirius and James carefully slid down the second passage. They landed feet first against the brick wall and put their still-illuminated wands forward.

"_Dissendium!" _They said in unison. No result came, however.

"Oh no." They chorused once again.

"This is perfect!" Lily said, keeping her voice down. She had discovered not a passage, but, as Remus had hoped, and entire secret room. With her wand she examined the room, about the size of a classroom. It's floor, walls, and ceiling were all brick, and nothing but a thick coat of dust was its contents.

"Well, nothing to do in here...I better go tell the boys." She put a leg up to the passage and climbed in headfirst, again. 

Remus was beginning to think that he may have bit off a little more than he could chew. As he bobbled the boxes of food he had carried off from the kitchens, he heard footsteps.

"Uh oh..." He quickly sat down and stabilized himself. Once he was sure he had a sturdy grip on everything he stood back up and quickly walked off in the opposite direction. He realized that he had made it very near to the Gyriffindor section and decided to drop off the food in the first-year boys' dormitory. As he approached the Fat Lady he heard a muffled scream. Remus stopped and stood.

"Help!" He heard through the wall.

"James?" He yelled, dropping the food, and putting his ear up to the wall. He felt fairly foolish, but he certainly heard James franticly speaking to him.

"Remus! We've been down here for an hour! GET US OUT!" Remus backed away from the wall and looked around.

"How?" He asked. The Fat Lady was beginning to look at him oddly.

"There should be a brick protruding on the opposite wall! Tap with dissendium!" Remus nodded, flashed a glance at the Fat Lady, and quickly noticed the brick. Lily came around the corner. 

"Hi, Remus...what's going on?" She asked. 

"Er...James is stuck in the wall." She gave him a puzzled look.

"Sirius! Come up here! Remus has arrived!" Came James's muffled voice through the wall.

"And Sirius too." Remus added. Without further ado, Remus turned sharply on the brick, tapped it with his wand and annunciated carefully: 

"_Dissendium_!" The brick sunk in, and behind Remus, the wall opened. James and Sirius scrambled out. 

"Well, I reckon that one's not going to do us much good." He said.

"Actually," Sirius started, "I do believe it may be, now that I've found this." He produced a key from his cloak. "My guess is there's a keyhole we didn't see."

"Either that or some classroom or office just opened up to us." Sirius and James sprouted giant grins.

"What's this?" Asked Sirius, pointing to the boxes Remus had brought. Remus grinned wide.

"Save it for the meeting." He swiftly lifted the boxes, smartly told the Fat Lady the password, and went off the dormitory.

"Well, 3 hours yet to go. I'd say I've got a lot of secrets to find." James said, smiling, not worrying in the slightest about what Remus had gotten. Then Lily said,

"You guys'll love what I disco-" Sirius put his hand up. James walked off.

"Save it." Sirius said smiling. He too, walked off, following James until the first possible fork, then went in the opposite direction.

"Ridiculous." She muttered, leaving as well. 

They met in the owlery, in their black robes, hoods up, hands in sleeves. The owls were out flying now, at night, so Peter did not have to worry about another ambush.

"Let the second meeting of the Society of Lion's Fire commence, _ante diem octas Idus Ianuarius, 2721 ab urbe candita._" James said mystically. He produced a gavel from his robe and tapped it on the brick. A few owls that had stayed hooted grumpily. Lily stifled a giggle.

"What?" James asked, breaking the ritualism.

"It's all just so silly..." She said. James shook his head and she silenced. 

"The first order of business, a good thing since I doubt any of us will be able to wait much longer, starting with Remus, let us all present our discoveries. Remus?"

"I've found how to get to the kitchens and gotten off with a bunch of food, including these doughnuts. Nothing else, unfortunately." James chuckled.

"That's more than enough Remus. Your discovery will help us a lot." He smiled, though it abruptly returned to a straight face once he realized no one could see it.

"Sirius?" Remus asked, turning to him. He nodded and began listing his discoveries, all of which were insignificant to them, leading from one hall they never visited to another they scarcely did, or vice versa. 

"Lily?" She nodded.

"Well, I think I'll please you all when I say that I think I've found an excellent chamber for us all to use."

"Really?" James asked, sounding excited.

"Why yes! It's about the size of our Defense classroom, behind a portrait of a kind old woman." 

"Excellent." Said Remus.

"Anything else?" James asked.

"Nothing of importance." She said, shaking her head. 

"Peter?" James said, turning to the cloaked lump to his right. 

"I er...I found the kitchens too..." He gulped.

"Ah. Yes, well, good job to you to." James said nodding. Assuming Peter had found nothing else, James moved to himself. 

"Well, as Sirius has said, we've found the chamber connecting the Fat Lady to the Potions corridor. I also found one that leads from the bathroom near History of Magic to the suit of armor on the eighth floor." The grouped nodded.

"Well, shall we have some of our drink, then?" Remus nodded and turned around to prepare the concoction. 

"Gelifugus!" He whispered loudly. The ice turned blue. The members watched as Remus poured things, measured things and mumbled to himself. Finally, they were all amazed when he lit the spectacular beverage, and dumped the charmed ice in. He poured the fire- it flowed as if it were liquid- into five goblets, and passed them around. 

"Cheers." James said, and the group responded in like. After the goblets were clinked, every member cautiously chugged the Lion's Fire, with the exception of Peter, who probably wouldn't have taken a sip if it weren't for the fact that the drink was on fire, and everyone could tell if he hadn't downed his yet. He sipped finally, then at length managed to get it all down. 

"Delicious!" Said James with the loudly, though there was a trace of fright in his voice. Footsteps, however, disrupted their fun. 

"Who _is_ that?" Remus wondered aloud.

"Doesn't matter, let's go!" And the five departed in opposite directions. 

By the next morning James and Sirius were pondering extending membership to Allyn and Mary.

"Well, of course _Mary_." Sirius said. James grinned widely on the inside.

"Alright. But what about Allyn." 

"He's a good friend-" Sirius said.

"Sure...but is he Lion's Fire material?" Sirius leaned back in thought. 

"I don't know. I say we extend membership to Mary, then vote on Allyn next meeting." Sirius nodded.

"Let the third meeting of the Society of Lion's Fire commence,_ Idus Ianuarius, 2721 ab urbe candita._" James gavel was completely muffled by the thick dust on the floor of the chamber Lily had discovered. They had set up torches to illuminate, and built a small fire in the center, in a bucket. Chairs had been set up in the center of the room, leaving a large expanse of wide space wide open and unused.

Mary sat between Sirius and Lily, looking fairly scared that Sirius's fear of this turning into an evil cult had come true; but once the hoods came down and the Latin ended, she became a little more comfortable.

"First order of business." James said. He turned to Remus, to whom he had delegated this responsibility earlier.

"First order of business, we need a queen." Remus said. Mary and Lily both looked slightly stunned. 

"Quite obviously, we have two candidates." He passed slips of parchment around the room, so that the four boys present could vote. Remus told the girls to go to the corner. And they did, off into the dark corner, lit by their wands.

"Alright." Remus spoke quietly. "Please write the name of your choice now."

James turned and looked down onto the parchment. He quickly took out his quill, and scribbled 'Lily' on it. Sirius asked,

"James. Can I borrow your quill?" James smiled and nodded and passed the quill along. Sirius took equally little time writing Mary's name down, and passed the pen to Peter. With it, he wrote each name at least twice, scratching them out, finally deciding on Mary. 

"Alright, then, place the slips in this goblet." Remus said, putting his own in, then allowing for the others to do likewise. He called for the girls to return.

"Now, to count the votes." He said. Pulling out the first, Peter's, he made the name Mary out from all the scribble. Both girls put their heads down.

"One for Mary." He pulled out the next. Neatly written on it was Lily's name.

"One for Lily." The next he pulled out he recognized, for the third time, he did not pick his own.

"Two for Mary." And he knew his own.

"Well, it appears we have a tie." Everyone let out a sigh. 

"How shall we decide?" Remus sat for a moment, pondering, but eventually came up with a solution.

"Let's put it aside for a moment. And vote on another matter. About Allyn Synwyd. Should he be a member?" Before anyone attempted to speak, he raised his hand for silence and passed out more parchment. 

"One for Allyn." He said, pulling the first vote out.

"Two for Allyn." He said after the second.

"Three for Allyn." After the third. James jaw clenched so hard his head began to hurt.

"One for not-Allyn." He eased a bit.

"Two for not-Allyn." A little more. Remus sighed loudly. If he had to deal with two ties...But his worries were put to rest when he pulled the sixth vote. He smiled and said,

"Four for Allyn." James put his head down, so no one could see his face. 

"James. Since you have the cloak-" James nodded, still keeping his face from view.

"I'll fetch him." He crawled back through the tunnel, out into the hallway. He donned the cloak, and proceeded towards the common room. 

"What cloak?" Asked Lily. 

"Er...the imperial cloak!"

"Allyn." James whispered to the sleeping boy. "Psst! Allyn!" He said again, tapping his shoulder.

"What?" He said suddenly, fairly grumpily.

"Get up and come with me." He sat up in bed.

"Come with you? Where? What's wrong?" 

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. It's time for you to join us. Me, Sirius, Remus...Lily. Just come on." He gripped Allyn's wrist and pulled him up.

"Under the Invisibility Cloak." 

"The _what?_" James explained the cloak, the society, everything but Remus to him. After that, however, they simply walked in silence. 

James felt guilty. I shouldn't feel like this, he thought. I shouldn't be angry at him for nothing. James shook his head and reached Naia Vi.

"Gwobble-Quob." And they entered.

"We'll have a re-vote." Said Remus. "Just to be sure we don't know exactly who gives the deciding vote." They all nodded.

When it was over, Remus again reached into the goblet for the first piece of parchment.

"One for Mary."

"Two for Mary."

"One for Lily." Remus threw it into the fire and drew the next. He stared. He started to speak, but then stopped. He looked at James, then back to the paper.

Loving the suspense, he reached behind him and grabbed a crown. He placed it carefully on James's head. He grabbed a second, smaller, more silvery one. He walked over to the girls, bent over, and placed it on Mary's head.


	9. Chapter Nine: The Menace of the Metamagu...

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 9: The Menace of the Metamagus

The rest of the meeting went by with considerable amount of tension. Sirius immediately began to regret having voted for Mary, as she sat at James's side. Allyn had tipped the scales in favor of her, so that now he could be seated near Lily, rather than James. Remus simply watched James's bottled anger expressed on his face, watching Allyn and Lily.

"The next order of business..." He said. "Sirius's chess set." Sirius managed to pull his concentration away from Mary and to the chess set. 

"Yes, how shall we get it back?" 

"The first the thing we need to know, is who stole it and how." James said authoritatively. 

"How could we possibly find that out?" Lily asked.

"Well, I think our first suspect has to be the Slytherins." Remus said. The group nodded.

"I say we spy on them to discover if they did it." James said. Immediately Sirius grew a huge smile, Peter got frightened, Remus thoughtful, Lily antsy.

"Spy on them? Are you sure? They know plenty of dark spells..." James shook his head. 

"Not now. Not on their common room. My thought was that we spy on them during breakfast." Mary tsked.

"How do you intend we pull that off?" She asked.

"_Very_ carefully." James said, smiling widely.

"Are you ready, Remus?" James asked. Remus nodded, a smile prevailing through his tired face. 

James peeked around the corner into the Great Hall. He spotted the Slytherins eating immediately. He turned to the Ravenclaw table, which was next to the Slytherins'. There he saw Mary Longbottom and Sirius Black, seated (with the help of a few friendly Ravenclaws) with their backs to Lestrange and his cronies' faces, and Sirius wearing silly cotton moccasins. Finally, Lily Evans was in deep conversation about something or another with the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, at the faculty table.

James looked at his watch.

"Timing is everything, Remus." As soon as the flutter of owls poured into the Great Hall, he and Remus set off quickly. At a heightened pace they walked towards the Slytherin table, past the Gryffindor table, where Peter Pettigrew sat "guarding it".

As soon as James and Remus passed the Ravenclaw table, and continued walking past the Slytherin table, Lestrange, Nott, and Snape took notice. Lily ended her conversation with Dumbledore, checked her watch and strolled towards the Slytherin table as well.

Nero Lestrange had just gotten a package from a peculiar snow owl he'd never seen before.

"We get new one's all the time." He explained to his friends.

Remus and James were now walking along the Slytherin table, past their rivals, and down the staircase that led towards the Slytherin common room. Lestrange immediately stood up. 

"Where do you think you're going, Pudder?" James and Remus turned around. While Lestrange's cohorts were busy looking at James and Remus, Sirius and Mary leant back until their backs were on the floor, and slid under the Slytherin table, right under Snape and Vedol. As soon as they were under, Sirius took out two handfuls of a concoction created in Potions class; sticky goo. With a dollop on each hand, and each slipper, he stuck himself to the underside of the table pulled his chest up to it. He put on a sloppy stethoscope the group had made, and put the other end to the table. 

Mary, after helping Sirius affix the sticky goo, tossed a dungbomb to the end of the table toward which Lily was walking. She intentionally dropped her pen, and as she bent down, the dungbomb Mary had flung went off. She knelt down, coughing, as the brownish smoke engulfed her. 

Mary quickly crawled down the table to the smoky area, where Lily smiled at her and took her hand as she got up. 

"Why I was just heading down here to the Advanced Defense classroom, Nero. Thought I might sit in on a few of the early morning lessons." James looked at his watch. "But it would appear I've missed them. Oh well." He looked to his left.

"Who dropped a dungbomb?" Nero scowled and returned to table after James and Remus had gotten to a safe distance. No one noticed that one girl had walked towards the dungbomb, and two had walked away. As the janitor sprayed water to get the dung smoke out of the air and began to mop it all up, Nero Lestrange opened the package that the now departed snow owl had brought him. 

"Let's see..." Nero opened it up and smiled. "Cookies, as usual. Oh, and a note." He picked it up and read aloud to the group,

"Dear Nero, I hope you enjoy these snacks. Keep up on your chess skills. Love, Mum." Nero frowned.

"What did I tell her about using affection in letters...no matter." Snape spoke up.

"Did that letter say keep up on your chess skills?" The whole group laughed.

"Well, I think I will, with my _new found_ set, don't you think, boys?" They again all laughed. Sirius smiled. That's all he needed, and was probably all he would get in the time. With some difficulty, he detached his hands from the goo, then slipped his feet out of the homemade slippers, still attached to the table. He pocketed the stethoscope and looked at his watch. On his hand he counted down. 4, 3, 2, 1.

With a blast the "cookies" sent to Nero exploded and filled the area with smoke. The entire Hall burst into commotion this time. Without a person noticing, Sirius slipped under Lestrange, and down the stairs behind him. With aide of a few secret passageways, Sirius appeared at the Great Hall entrance a few moments later, a fresh pair of shoes waiting for him.

"Now for retrieval." James said at the next meeting, called early that morning after a midnight Astronomy session. "We have to find some way to get into the Slytherin common room."

"Can't we just tell a teacher?" Lily asked. James looked at her and shook his head.

"Not a chance. Now, we'll of course use the cloak." James said.

"What cloak?" Mary asked.

"I suppose it's time we told you. I've received an Invisibility Cloak. From..." James decided he would spare them the story. "My father." Lily looked at him dumbfoundedly.

"Your father gave _you_ an invisibility cloak?" She asked.

"Well, sort of...indirectly. Don't worry about it. Anyway, it's a very big cloak. About three of us can fit in it. Now, here's the plan. Me, Remus, and Sirius will, under the guard of the cloak, follow a Slytherin to their common room. When one opens the door, just before he or she goes in, Remus will come out from the cloak and distract the Slytherin. Then, me and Sirius will slip past into the common room."

"Then what? Do you think it will just be sitting there? On the table?" James considered it for a moment.

"Well, yeah, it just might be. If need be, we'll break into Lestrange's dorm." James said as if it were nothing. "In the meantime, the girls will distract Lestrange and his friends, and keep him from the room."

The nearly 24 hours later, as scheduled, James, Sirius, and Remus slipped under the cloak and waited outside the staircase that led to the Slytherin common room. As soon as the first Slytherin came by, who happened to be a first-year boy that Remus, Sirius, and James didn't know, they quickly pursued. 

Meanwhile, Lily and Mary had spotted Lestrange and his friends on the Quidditch pitch playing Quaffleball, and decided to stake it out.

"Hey, you!" Remus yelled, leaping from the shadows at the Slytherin.

"Who are you?" He asked in a frightened tone, wand raised. James and Sirius sneaked by, holding their breath, through the open door. Once they were by, James poked the end of his wand out and waved it. Remus got it, and simply ran. He had to head back; tonight was the night of the month, after all. They boy, fairly shocked, quickly stepped inside, shut the door, and dashed down the stairs to where James presumed his dormitory was.

"Do you see it, Sirius?" James asked, hushed as he could be.

"No...I think we may have to keep following that first year."

"Fellows! Let's head in for the night!" Lestrange yelled as he, Snape, Nott, and Vedol landed. As they began to walk towards the castle, Lily and Mary began to get scared.

"We have to stall them!" She said. "In case Sirius and James are still down there." Mary gulped, then nodded.

As they walked past the stands, Mary and Lily hopped out. 

"Hey, Slytherins!" They immediately took notice. 

"What do you want, Gryffindor trash?" Lily took no notice of the insult.

"I want a match. Two on two. Me and Mary versus your best two." Mary quickly grabbed Lily by the shoulder. 

"What are you crazy?" She whispered in Lily's ear. "This is what you meant by 'stall'?" Lily pushed her back.

"We don't have to win, we just have to make enough time for them to get out." Mary gulped. Lestrange was laughing.

"Alright, you've got your match! Better make it first to 100 or this game will be over in under a minute!" Lily made a determined face.

"First to 50. And give us brooms." Lestrange chuckled again, and ordered Snape and Vedol to hand their brooms over to the girls.

"Alright. You can take the Quaffle first." Lestrange said, still chuckling. He tossed Lily the red ball as the mounted their borrowed brooms.

"How do you know these aren't hexed?" Mary asked.

"We've just seen them playing, how can they be hexed already?" Mary gulped again. The slowly ascended into the air, though the Slytherins remained on the ground.

"Go!" Lestrange yelled. Mary and Lily immediately shot forward towards the rings. Lestrange and Nott, however, were almost immediately behind them, then below them, then next to them.

"Aagh!" Nott yelled as he swerved his broom towards Lily, elbow raised. She, however, smartly flipped over and Nott went right by. Lestrange charged next, and struck her quite hard, but she had already tossed it off to Mary. She flew as fast as she could, but Lestrange was gaining on her again. She turned to see that she was in range for a shot. She took it,

"No!" Lestrange yelled as the ball passed perfectly through the left hoop. Lily grinned wide and slapped hands with Mary and she held her now quite fat lip.

"Get out of my common room!" Yelled the Slytherin. Sirius had just popped out from under the cloak after James knocked on the door. The Slytherin foolishly left the door open, however, and James easily crept in.

As Sirius dodged sparks sent by the Slytherin, James was searching. It was nowhere obvious, and James began to delve into the trunks at the end of each bed. When he came to the last one, however, it was locked. He noticed the name on it: Nero Lestrange III. 

"It's _got_ to be in here...." James muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, Mary and Lily were fairing much worse on the Quidditch pitch. It was now 40-10, and the next goal would end it for their stall tactics. Lily called a timeout.

"What are we going to do?" Mary asked.

"Yeeaarrgh!" Came a scream. Mary and Lily looked around. 

"What was that?" Yelled Lestrange, and he and Nott flew off. 

"We've got to make sure they don't go back to their common room!" Lily yelled, and flew after, Mary just behind her.

They zoomed high into the air, around to the Gryffindor tower, near the grounds of the Whomping Willow. Lestrange and Nott were nowhere to be found. 

"Aaaargh!" Came another scream. It was coming from the top of Gryffindor tower. Lily and Mary flew up after. They heard a voice as they neared the top. An incantation of some sort. Suddenly, without warning, Lily and Mary were heaved from their brooms. 

"Mary! What are we going to do?" Yelled Lily as they plummeted.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Mary yelled, pointing her wand at herself. She shot straight up, and got back on her broom.

"_Wingar-_" But Lily dropped her wand mid phrase. Mary flew straight downwards, and just as Lily was about to hit the grass, grabbed her and set down softly.

"Yes!" Exclaimed James, after having successfully unlocked the trunk with a simple 'Alohomora'. It didn't take him long to find exactly what he was looking for.

"Got it!" He set the board down and tapped it: as he hoped, chessmen popped out. He shouted for joy again, then sent the men back into the board. He flipped the cloak back over him, put the chessboard under, and for good measure, spilled the contents of every trunk all over the room, and messed up each bed. 

"James!" Sirius yelled. He suddenly remembered his friend and raced back into the common room. Lifting up the cloak, he swept Sirius along into invisibility, and out of the Slytherin common room. The Slytherin, however, gave chase. 

Though they could not be seen, James and Sirius took every shortcut, raced as fast as they could, and kept their wands out all the way to the Gryffindor common room, where they collapsed into the comfy chairs.

"A lot fun that was!" Sirius said, panting. James lifted the Invisibility Cloak off his body and set the chess board onto the table. 

"Oh...I suppose I'll put this in the dormitory." Sirius said, getting up from his chair to put it away. They suddenly heard a scream.

"What was that?" Sirius shouted. They both shot up the stairs to the dormitory, fling the door open to find no one. Out the window, however, they saw some massive figure sweep past. Then two more on broomsticks.

"Who was that?" James yelled.

"We've got to help him!" Sirius quickly dove under his bed and retrieved his broomstick. James did likewise, and shot out the window after Sirius. It didn't take them long to notice that the beast had landed on the roof of the tower. James noticed two figures dropping off the end just as they rose to the top, but concentrated more on the cloaked figure.

"Wands out, Sirius." James reminded him after they landed on the flat rim around the pointed roof. They apprehensively walked around the thing. 

In a sudden burst that caused James and Sirius to shout random spells that did nothing, the cloak was ripped to shreds, and an enormous creature expanded before their eyes.

Sirius and James immediately recognized it.

"A Metamagus!" They screamed in unison. It was more frightening then they ever could have imagined. It had two furry, muscular arms with claws on the ends, as well as two long, thin, appendages with stingers on the ends. The body was still cloaked, and its feet were dragon-scaled, and it sported dragon wings and a scorpion's tail. The head was that of a snake. 

On sight of them, it expanded its wings and took flight. Sirius and James recognized its hostage as soon as it took off.

"Remus!" He staggered to his feet, and began to crawl down towards James and Sirius. They however, were quickly occupied with the Metamagus.

"Do you remember the spell?" Yelled James as they ran under and away from the Metamagus. 

"Des..." Pondered James aloud, shooting sparks at it.

"Desmeta..." Added Sirius, dodging a blast of fire from the Metamagus.

"_Desmetus magus_!" Yelled James suddenly, firing a bright yellow blast towards it.

"Nice shot James!" But as much as they were thinking it would rip apart in a fiery explosion, one of the gray arms simply shriveled slightly.

The beast took no notice.

"Why didn't that work?" James yelled, firing another of the same spell at the creature, one that missed.

"Dumbledore – _desmetus magus! _– said that it was a difficult spell! I suppose this is probably quite good for first-years." Finally Sirius and James had climbed their way to Remus's position.

"Remus, are you okay?" James said, kneeling at his side. He coughed.

"Yeah...I think so..." James and Sirius fired a few more at the beast, but it seemed to be doing less and less. The spell was taking a lot out of them.

"We've got to get help!" James yelled. It was too late, however. Someone already had.

"_Desmetus magus!_" Came a familiar voice.

"Evus!" Remus yelled loudly. The blast issued from his wand tore right through the Metamagus's right arms, ripping them from the still cloaked, presumed human body. The thing realized who it was now up against, and leapt off the tower, allowing itself to fall.

Evus dashed quickly around to the other edge from which the beast had jumped and pointed his wand downward for another shot. When he got there, however, he found that the Metamagus had disappeared. 

"Remus, quickly!" He yelled. 

"Remus is transforming tonight!" James suddenly remembered, and realized Evus must know as well. Evus climbed up to Remus and set him on his broom.

"Hold on tight!" Evus said, and flew off and down towards the Whomping Willow. James and Sirius followed closely. 

"He's transforming!" Sirius said just after having seen the clouds part and the full moon shine down. Remus went rigid and Evus grabbed him and leapt off the broom. As Evus wrestled to keep Remus in control, James dashed forward and poked the crucial knot. The thrashing tree froze, and Evus forced him down there.

"You all must understand something." Evus said, once they had gotten back. He was looking at James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Mary, as well as Allyn and Peter, who had found the dorm windows open and everyone gone, and had alerted Evus. "Always go to a teacher, or me. Dumbeldore is the greatest wizard alive, it is foolish to ignore his power and go on your own. I'll report this to him immediately. With luck, we'll catch whoever this is." With that, Evus strolled off.

"I'm scared!" Lily said suddenly. She and Mary collapsed to the floor, both in tears. Sirius stepped forward to comfort Mary. Allyn got to Lily first. 

"It's okay, Lily...I'm here. We're all here. There's nothing to worry about." Sirius said similar things to Mary. James clenched his jaw and fists. Remus leaned over and whispered, 

"Don't worry about that James. There'll be other chances." James shook his head and left the room.

Peter, Allyn, Remus, and Sirius had all gone to bed and fallen asleep before James came back that night, and he wasn't there when they woke up.

"He must've gone out early. Breakfast started an hour ago." Sirius said. Remus nodded, and they all got out of bed and dressed for the day. Upon reaching the cafeteria that morning, however, James was nowhere to be seen. The girls were finishing up their own breakfasts.

"Have you seen James?" Remus asked as soon as the sat down at the table.

"No...why no I haven't. He wasn't in bed when you got up?" Sirius shook his head.

"Well, I'm sure it has something to do with last night." Mary said. The boys all suddenly remembered what had occurred 8 or so hours ago, and looked over at the Slytherin table.

"Me and Mary got up at 6. They haven't been down here all morning." Lily said. Sirius, who had stood up to see, sat back looking somewhat disappointed. 

"Do you think it's possible they're _not _involved?" Lily asked him.

"I couldn't imagine them not being so...I mean, you did see them flying off towards the beast, didn't you?" Lily and Mary nodded.

"Well then..." But Sirius trailed off and began eating his breakfast. After their meal, the group had plenty of time before their first class (and no last minute homework), so they decided to search for James. Lily suggested the library, and everyone agreed. There, however, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, no! Where could he be? It's almost time for Astronomy!" Remus pondered for a moment.

"The hideout!" He said. "You guys get going, I'll look for James there." They all nodded, and left for their dormitory to get their books, and then to the tower.

Remus, meanwhile, headed off to the portrait of Miss Vi. 

"Gwabble-Quob." She smiled and slowly slid down to allow Remus entrance. Remus crawled in, and jumped down to the floor. Remus walked around the perimeter lighting the torches, not seeing James. But darkness still covered most of the room, and James could easily hide. Remus then walked swiftly to the center, where there was a semicircle of chairs (at the front of which were two particularly adorned chairs), and lit the trash-can fire, illuminating the center. Still no James. He sighed. Walking over, he sat in the Queen-Throne. 

He was looking over the thrones when he heard a faint sound: but he made no change to his facial expression. This was because a moment earlier he had had a thought, a thought that was confirmed by the sound. _The Invisibility Cloak._ Being quite clever, Remus continued admiring the chairs and began running his fingers across the arm rests. Very slightly, he felt it: on the King-Throne's arm rest he felt the slightest of cool, silky, cloth. The cloak! 

And that point Remus ran his finger over his own throne a little more, then got up. He turned sharply towards James.

"Alright, James. Come out now. Astronomy's coming up soon." But James did not want to go. He got up, and walked swiftly to the wall, and began extinguishing the torches. Remus was caught off guard, but after a moment of watching, he bolted for the exit. He pressed his back against the small hole, and held his wand out. But James didn't appear to be making a run for it, for Remus (by the light of his own wand) could see footprints walking through the dust, and small lines in it from the edges of the cloak. 

"I'm not leaving." Came James's obstinate voice, finally. Remus smirked.

"Alright. Fine. I'll come back later. With the others." Remus turned and got himself up into the hole, then crept out, knocking lightly on the back of Miss Vi's frame, to tell her he wanted out. 

Remus, of course, was able to get away with being late to astronomy, though Professor Marus was highly interested in the reason for James's absence. 

As Remus had suspected, James did not show up all day (though he figured that James raided the kitchens for food), and though he told everyone James's whereabouts, they did not go in search of him.

"He can handle himself." Sirius said. "Who knows why he's there-" though he and Remus had a good idea, "but he'll be fine. Let's get to the library." Earlier Lily had suggested that they brush up on their anti-Metamagus skills for a bit, before the meeting that night. 

The group had met in the common room before heading down, though as usual they went separate ways and at different time to avoid being caught. James was seated in his chair, with the invisibility cloak draped over the back (making the chair only visible from the front). James said nothing until everyone was seated, and his watch struck 12:48, when he went into his usual opening speech.

"Let the fifth meeting of the Society of Lion's Fire commence, _ante diem tria Nonas Februarias, 2721 ab urbe candita._"

For hours they discussed the metamagus and what to do about it (though all of them sincerely thought Professor Dumbledore would have both heard about it from Evus, and done something about it). The excitement of the matter kept everyone awake, though all James contributed was the occasional short, affirmative sentence, or a simple shake of the head (which Sirius or Remus verbalized when they saw).

When the meeting finally ended, James escorted Lily and Mary, then Remus and Allyn, to the nearby potions corridor, where they took the shortcut to their common room (for they had discover there was a keyhole, and the key worked). James returned, and brought Sirius and Peter out, towards the passage.

"Psst. James!" Peter whispered. James put his head up and put his hand up to Peter's mouth. He had just seen Professor Marus.

"Who's there?" He said.

"But James...." This time James put his hand on Peter's mouth.

"I said who's there! Show yourself!" Marus said, his tone rising. He walked until he was shoulder to shoulder with the trio, who had shoved themselves as far against the opposite wall as possible.

"James!" Peter whispered urgently. Marus turned sharply towards them. He stared through them, at the wall. At this point, both Sirius and James clamped both hands over Peter's mouth. He crossed his legs.

"I said _who is there_!" They didn't make a sound.

"Peeves?" Still not a peep. Marus squinted. 

"Peeves, you're in trouble this time." He walked off quickly in the direction he came. Unfortunately, they had to follow.

"James, I was trying to tell you I have to go to the bathroom!" Peter whispered as quietly as he could. Sirius smacked his own forehead.

"Alright." James said, and they turned and stopped outside the bathroom. They looked around, and Marus was not to be found, so Peter stepped in quietly.

"So, James...are you alright?" Sirius asked, still whispering. 

"I don't know...." James said with a sigh.

"What's the matter? That metamagus?" James shook his head.

"Did you see the way Allyn rushed to Lily's side when she broke down?" Sirius suddenly understood. He nodded broadly.

"I see. Well, that's alright-"

"No, it's not. I know he likes her like I do. And he keeps getting every chance." Sirius forced a quiet chuckle.

"Don't worry, James! She knows what a great guy you are! Come on, you're years off from girlfriends! Don't worry about it. Just do what you can and don't worry about Allyn." James sighed.

"I suppose you're right." Sirius smiled slightly. The toilet in the bathroom flushed. Sirius and James gasped, looked at each other, and Sirius ran into the bathroom.

"Peter, come on!" He grabbed Peter by the shoulder.

"But, I need to wash my hands!" 

"No time!" Sirius said hurriedly. He opened the door and stepped under the cloak with Peter just in time for Marus to step around the corner. 

"Who's there? There are bathrooms closer to each house dormitory than this, so you must be out after curfew without permission! Show yourself!" He suddenly dashed for the door. James, Sirius, and Peter all ran. 

The were outrunning Marus fairly well (he followed the sound), until Sirius and James began to outrun Peter, and the cloak tangled in their feet. Marus saw the three pairs of shoes protruding from nothingness into the moonlight, and shot towards them. 

"Get up!" Sirius yelled, and the three were quickly up and running fast again, though Marus was now not far behind. James noticed quickly that they were nearing the passage leading to the Gryffindor common room.

"To the left!" James said, loud enough for them to hear, but not Marus. The group slowly adjusted their path until they were dashing alongside the wall. James held out his wand. 

"Everyone, Wingardium leviosa, when I say!" He panted. James poked his wand out from the cloak ever so slightly, and as they passed the brick, tapped it, saying,

"_Dissendium_!" To his delight, the spell worked, and upon looking back, Marus passed by the pushed brick and the hole in the wall without noticing (neither were illuminated at all).

"Stop!" He whispered. Evereyone stopped running. Silently, they began crossing from the farthest left to the farthest right of the hallway. When Marus closed range, however, they were not halfway, and could not risk him hearing.

"Now!" James whispered. The all pointed their wands at themselves, and shot into the air ten inches or so (or rather, James and Sirius fifteen inches, Peter, five), and James and Sirius grabbed Peter until they were at an even level. Once in the air, and all were holding on to each other, James put his right foot down, and pushed off, sending them across the hall. It was just in time; they made contact with the wall just as Marus dashed by, wheezing.

"Alright." Sirius whispered. "Back to the hole?" 

Checking for the key first, they hopped into the hole, it closing just as Marus noticed there were no more footsteps, and begin searching behind him.

"How close was _that_?" Sirius said, collapsing into a chair in the commons.

"Come on, Sirius, let's get to bed. You never know if Marus knows that passage. Or some other one that leads here. Sirius nodded, and with great effort, lifted himself from the chair, then helped Peter up. They quickly walked up to bed, and equally quickly got into bed. 

A moment later, Marus entered the common room.


	10. Chapter Ten: The Howl of the Moon

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff.

****

Chapter 10: The Howl of the Moon

For the ensuing months, the group heard nothing of the Metamagus. They hardly saw Evus after the event; considering his class load, he was already preparing for finals. Over time, James accepted Allyn and Lily's friendship more, (though he never planned for a second on allowing them to get together). The teachers grew more intense as the grass began to show through the thinning snow, and buds began to appear on trees (except for the Whomping Willow, of course). 

"Easter!" Yelled Sirius leaping off the last step from the castle onto the grounds. 

"I can't believe Professor Binns gave us an exam on the last day before spring break!" Lily said, somewhat downcast.

"I'm sure you did fine." James said. "Now come on! Let's enjoy the warmth!" James and the group trotted on the grass, until they made their way to a large, blossoming tree, in the shade of which they all sat.

"So is anyone staying this time?" Lily and Remus said they were, but no one else.

"I'm glad I'll be heading home. I didn't for Christmas, but this time mum and dad said I could." Said Sirius.

"I'm staying, since...my uncle won't be getting sick," said Remus, "and I've got a lot of studies to catch up on.

"I'm staying just for History of Magic. I can't _believe _my grade in that class!" Lily said.

"A 98%? I feel _so_ sorry for you." Mocked Mary.

"Well, then, why don't you stay?" Asked Lily. 

"Pssht!" Mary leaned back on the ground. "You couldn't make me stay here."

"I couldn't?" Asked Sirius, with a fake offended sounding voice.

"Well, _you_ could." She said, a grin spreading across her face. The two burst into giggles. Remus sighed, and rolled his eyes, then leaned back onto the bumpy roots.

Everyone else reclined as well. James's eyes rolled left to where Lily lay, though he couldn't see her. James figured that Allyn's eyes were towards the same person, and he was right. But neither of them knew in what direction hers were tilted.

After everyone (with the exception of Lily) had had a relaxing Easter, there was much studying and hard work in preparation for exams, with little complaining. The first years, minus Fannie Flately, Dhelia Brown, and Sandra Hannet, who hung out with popular second years, had conquered themselves an entire corner of the commons room which they devoted to perfecting themselves for the exams. To no one's shock, Peter dragged them down.

"Wait! What about...how do I move a pillow?" He said suddenly and scared, as they brushed past easy charms they all knew. 

"Peter calm down! The test isn't for over two months!" Mary said in response. "We're just reviewing lightly now so it's not so sudden when the test comes up. Don't worry!" 

"Peter, Mary's right." James said. "Look at me, Sirius, and Remus. Not even troublemaking duties could get in the way of our studies." Punctuating James's sentence was a burst of whoopie cushions sounding off as a group of third years sat down. "Not that we've _completely_ forgotten about troublemaking, mind you..." He and Sirius chuckled.

"Now, Peter, what was your question?" Lily asked sweetly. 

"I forgot how to make a pillow move...how can there be a different spell for moving _every_ little _thing_?" Lily smiled again.

"That's just the thing, Peter! There's an easy system for it. All you have to know are your Latin roots. Now, Peter, do you remember how to move a person?" Peter thought for a moment.

"Mobili..._mobilicorpus_!" He said, sounding somewhat proud.

"Right! Now all that that is is a combination of the root to move, 'mobili-', and the root for body 'corpus'. Just replace corpus with the Latin root for pillow. Now we can look that up..." Peter watched as Lily flipped through the pages. He felt a strange sensation come over him, as if he simply wanted for her to keep talking to him and telling him things, and for him to sit absolutely still, and not say a word. 

"Lodix." Peter snapped out of his gaze as she slammed her thick notebook shut, and set it down. "So, that would lead us to know that the incantation for moving a pillow is...." She trailed off for Peter to continue.

"Er..._mobililodix_?" She smiled widely again and nodded.

"You've got it Peter! Now, shall we move on?" Lily said turning to the group. Peter smiled, having understood now, and having a newfound liking to Lily.

"Has anyone gotten this latest Potions assignment? I can't quite get how much dragon-tooth we are to use. Anyone have the equation?" Sirius asked. Peter frowned.

As exams approached, the homework load became unbearably heavy. For others, that is. The Society-members, however, got on quite a bit better than the others, because they did not have to study so much. In fact, because they had gotten so much of the memorization down, doing homework was nearly all the studying they required.

During their meeting that night, nothing was discussed except future troublemaking schemes, jokes were told, and much of their drink was consumed. They went on late into the morning. It was not until all the excitement ended rather quickly, and everyone suddenly realized how very tired they were that they realized how very late it was. 

"Oh, my!" Said Remus with a huge yawn. "We all must get to bed. I hope I make it!" The group chuckled, but all agreed. Except James and Sirius.

"Well, I'm wide awake!" Said James, sounding insulted. Sirius concurred. 

"I say we venture out for some adventure, James!" James nodded excitedly.

"Meeting adjourned!" He said loudly, smacking his gavel against the arm of his chair. No one seemed to notice, because they were all headed for the exit no matter what James said or didn't say. James and Sirius didn't care; they were already discussing things and putting out the fire and getting the invisibility cloak ready.

"I suggest we venture to the deeper dungeons. I'm sick of towers." Said Sirius.

"I whole-heartedly agree, my good friend Sirius. Shall we go?" James said as if he were discussing a business deal with an old friend, a century earlier.

"We shall, we shall." Said Sirius, keeping up with the joke.

It did not take long for Sirius and James to find themselves somewhere they had never been before. They were careful not to be lost. James led the way, testing every chance for a hidden passage, while Sirius mentally checked their route and made sure they could get back in time to wake up before noon (which left them quite a bit of time).

Soon the duo discovered that these subterranean halls didn't hold any secrets, or, rather, none that they could discover. James and Sirius's luck was so poor that they became very anxious to find something. So anxious, in fact, that they began moving quite quickly down the halls, and around one particular corner.

"Who's there?" Asked some alarmed, cloaked figure. They must have heard the footsteps, thought James. They had stopped just in time to avoid being skewered on the character's wand. They soon figured out who this character was.

"I said, who is _there?_" Nero Lestrange. And, in fact, Sirius and James quickly heard a few more voices; notably Severus Snape and Nott. Lestrange began walking slowly towards James and Sirius. James put his hand back, until it found Sirius's chest. They slowly walked back, making as little sound as possible, their feet hitting the brick at the same time Nero's did.

Sirius began getting frantic. They needed a way out, because Nero wasn't slowing, and he didn't think Nero would stop and not perform some sort of spell in their general direction. He began looking around quickly, until he saw something James had missed. Putting his hand around James's wrist, he guided him slowly to the side of the hall, while Lestrange remained in the center. Sirius and James slowed and stopped, and Nero walked past them. Sirius bent down, and tapped a discolored brick.

"COME ON!" He thought. "_Dissendium!_" He whispered as quietly as possible. 

"Waagh!" He fell suddenly from under the cloak down a trapdoor. Nero swiveled around on the spot and pointed his wand to where he saw Sirius's head go down the chute. 

"Accio!" He yelled. James felt the cold silky cloak flow over his body, and he only stuck out his hand and grabbed it just in time. Nero's spell wasn't highly effective and he managed to keep it from Nero.

"Pudder!" Nero yelled in shock. 

"Expelliarmus!" Yelled James. The wand in Nero's hand shot from his hand back behind him. James ducked, having heard various incantations from behind him, wrenched the cloak from Lestrange's grip, and dove into the hole that was beside him.

"An invisibility cloak, eh...well, it appears that we now have the advantage." Nero said one he returned to where Snape, Nott, and Vedol stood. 

"How do we have the advantage?" Said Nott dumbly.

"Inside first, Nott." Lestrange turned to the cold stone wall. "_Gens de Mortigenae." _The wall slowly faded. They one by one disappeared into the wall.

It seemed like no time at all until exam week. Following their bump in with Lestrange and his group Sirius and James still searched for secrets; but now much more carefully, and they restricted themselves to above ground. They still did, however, manage to find a new ones.

"Well, this is interesting..." Lily said during one study session in the commons, the Saturday night before exam week. 

"What's that, Lily?" James asked.

"Well, I've been very interested in Metamagi ever since...well, you know. I got Evus to check out a book from the restricted section of the library for me, since he's an advanced Defense student."

"A book on Metamagi?" Sirius asked.

"Yes. And they're dreadfully interesting." James leaned over to look at the book.

"Well, what's it say?" The whole group became interested, except Peter of course, who couldn't bear a second of not studying his brains out for Potions. 

"Well, Dumbledore didn't lie to us or anything, but there's a lot of interesting things he left out."

"Like what?" Allyn asked, on the edge of his seat.

"Well...to become a Metamagus is actually a group event. One person is required for each different animal characteristic that is used. Each of these persons must be an _expertanimus_, which is actually a stage of becoming an Animagus. The _expertanimi_ then partially transform into their creatures. Each _expertanimus_ must have the animal into which it partially transforms present. Then, the Metamagus performs a dark spell that combines all the attributes onto him or herself. The animals are _destroyed in the process!_" Lily suddenly became very sickened and dropped the book.

"Oh my! That's horrible!" The group concurred. On that note, the group ended all discussion of the Metamagi and returned to their normal studies. 

Their first exam was Monday morning at nine, for Transfiguration. The first portion was multiple choice (on which there were a few questions on Animagi) and an essay. The second was the task of turning a rock into a turtle. 

"Mine was a boulder!" Yelled Sirius as they left the castle and returned to under their favorite tree. "How was I supposed to turn that into a turtle?"

"Sirius, it wasn't that big!" Lily said. "But I _do know_ that I completely failed the multiple choice." Lily added, turning on herself.

"Lily, Sirius, I'm sure you both did fine." James said.

"Well, that's easy for mister 100 percent to say!" 

After lunch was a surprisingly moderately difficult exam in which they were to brew only four different potions. At the end of it, Peter came out feeling as if he may have actually passed.

The next day was two they were all dreading; History of Magic and Defense against the Dark Arts. As much as everyone enjoyed the latter, Dumbledore pressed them a lot during the final week of classes. The group, however, faired well on both. 

The final day, Wednesday, was set out to be an easy day; Charms and Herbology, but not an easy night, for that was for Astronomy. 

The group breezed through the morning and afternoon exams, in fact, Peter almost did as well as James and Lily on the Herbology test, as it was his forté. That night, however, Peter feared he would get his worst grade.

Everyone was in the class a whole hour before the exam time, and even Remus came 10 minutes early. Professor Marus had them fill out a complicated pattern sheet, then they were all forced to name two stars apiece in an oral exam. 

__

Hmmm, thought James. _Next week shall be a full moon._

On Thursday morning, everyone slept quite late, even later than usual after a late night Astronomy session. When everyone finally awoke and met in the Great Hall, there was a decidedly happy note to their discussions. 

"Well, I'm glad we're done. But I've never been to a grander school!" Said Remus, who punctuated his sentence by shoving a whole sausage into his mouth. The group agreed and there was much clinking of orange juice glasses. After breakfast the group once again made their way to the tree under which they sat, where everyone exchanged their addresses for summer holiday visits. Then they headed down to the lake to cool their feet. 

After much splashing of water and general amusement the group decided to relax again under the tree.

"I wish we could go home now! Too bad the Hogwarts Express has to wait for the third years and above to finish their extra class exams to-" But Sirius's comment was cut short when the tree came into view of everyone. Lestrange and his hench-boys were occupying it.

"Hey, Lestrange!" Yelled James as they neared the tree. "How about you and your friends get out of our spot?" Lestrange stood up, with a smirk upon his face.

"Why don't you make us, Pudder?" Nott, Snape, and Vedol rose also as James came nose to nose with Nero. 

"Well, maybe we will. You're a little outnumbered, Nero." Lestrange smiled.

"Numbers have nothing to do with it, James. And you know it." Lestrange rose his wand. Everyone else present did so as well, very quickly. 

"Somehow I think you think a little too highly of yourself and your Slytherins, 'Strange." 

"Me and my _Slytherins_ could take the entire Gryffindor 7th year class, Pudder." James smiled.

"But can you take me?" He retorted. Nero frowned.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Potter." Lestrange said, baring teeth. "Just let things happen as they may, and don't get in the way." 

"Do you like to rhyme?" James said chuckling. "Is it that time?" He asked mockingly. 

"POTTER!" Nero spat. James's smile disappeared.

"_Just._ _Keep. Away._" Nero waved for his friends to follow him, and he walked off towards the castle. James watched as they walked off, keeping his eyes on them until they entered the castle and were out of sight. 

"Now what could _they_ be up to...."

The end-of-year feast was fantastic. All except, of course, for the yellow and black banners covering the ceiling.

"Ah, another year gone by. How swiftly they do go! The points stand as follows: Gryffindor, two-hundred and eighty seven! (sparse cheering from the Gryffindor table) Slytherin, two-hundred and ninety-nine! (James sunk into his seat and frowned) Ravenclaw, three-hundred and forty-eight! (cheering from the Ravenclaw table) And, Hufflepuff in first place with an astonishing five-hundred seventy points!" The table next to Gryffindor burst into raucous cheering and applause.

"Congratulations to Hufflepuff on winning the House Quidditch Tournament, as well as the House Cup!" 

When the time came to board the Hogwarts Express, James was feeling quite worried. He now was sure that Lestrange, Snape, Nott, and Vedol had something to do with the Metamagus. He couldn't pin it, however. And now, Remus would be heading home, alone. James was sure he had two full grown wizard parents, but for some reason, he felt that should Remus be without James, Sirius, and the rest, he would be in greater danger. Once the train was boarded, no one waited a moment to strip their robes off, and relax in jeans and t-shirts underneath. 

When it began making its way back to London, time was passed with a tournament of wizards' chess. The starting match-ups were Sirius versus Allyn, James versus Remus, and Mary versus Lily. Once the round robin was at its end (as they neared London), it came down to a single match between Sirius and Lily, as everyone guessed. In the end, Sirius leapt to his feet, victorious. 

"Hahah!" He yelled. "I'm the winner!" Lily shook her head.

"You may have won this one, Sirius Black, but overall I'm beating you still, eleven matches to ten." But Sirius kept dancing a very poor jig and yelling. Lily couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, when we meet at Remus's house next week, that will be the deciding match." Lily said, referring to their commitment to get together at least once a week (to continue their Society meetings). 

"But when I win that match we shall be tied and require another game!" 

"Silly Sirius. When _I_ win that game I will be up twelve to ten and have beaten you for the year." They scowled at each other. When the train finally stopped, no one could wait to leap off the train and greet their parents for the first time since Easter, except Remus, who had not since Christmas, and Lily, since September the first. 

"Well, Sirius, how were your exams?" Mr. Black asked.

"Just fine, Dad." He said with a smile. He hugged his mum as well, and his parents asked the same question of James, who would be riding with them. Once their turn came to exit the magical platform, the walked swiftly through to the muggle side, and to the Black's muggle car.

The first week back at home passed by quickly for everyone, and already it was one o'clock on Friday and time for everyone to arrive at the Lupin house by Floo. When James came whizzing down into the Lupin fireplace, he noticed that Mary, Lily, and Peter were already there. He had no need to duck to leave it; it was as wide and tall as a door in an arch, and James simply stepped out. Just behind him came Sirius, and a few moments later Allyn rounded out the group. 

The entire time that Remus's parents were present they couldn't hold back massive smiles and Remus's mother even got teary. James expected that being a werewolf, he had never had many friends. 

The group spent most of the time playing Quaffleball, which was do-able because the Lupin house was so far out into the country, and the neighbors they did have were wizard as well. 

After Quaffleball the group spectated the long-awaited match between Lily and Sirius; Sirius won to tie the series at eleven victories apiece (and not a draw yet). Sirius and Lily agreed to keep the deciding match until the next meeting, because both would want to spend as much time preparing for it as possible (though neither said it, they both would have liked to have ended it tied, because both were incredibly afraid of losing). 

The meeting for the week was held quite early in the day, since the friends would be leaving early because of the full moon. The meeting ended with a somber tone.

"Well, Remus, I hope it goes well." Said James with a pat on the back as he headed for the fireplace, after Peter had left first.

"Thanks, James." Remus said with a smile, though James could sense the worry in him.

With that James nodded and headed towards the fireplace. 

"My chessmen!" Yelled Sirius as James hopped onto the marble hearth. 

"What's the matter?" Said both James and Mrs. Lupin.

"I've forgotten my chessmen! Oh, no, they always wander off when I leave them places..." Sirius dashed upstairs. James hopped back off the hearth.

"I'll help him search." James said, and he, Remus, Allyn, Lily, and Mary went up after Sirius.

"Be quick, boys and girls!" Said Mr. Lupin, eyeing the skies nervously.

"Now where could they have possibly gone to?" Sirius rhetorically asked, as Remus and James entered the room where the chess had been played (the others were searching other rooms).

"EEEEEEEEK!!!" Came a shriek from downstairs. There was another muffled scream and the blasts of a few wands, but soon it was silence.

"MUM!" Remus yelled, and shot down the stairs, Sirius and James following. When they entered the family room where the fireplace was, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, bound by some magical force. Looking down, they saw the 16 chessmen, 15 of which were producing a magical force from them. 

"MY CHESSMEN!" Yelled Sirius.

"MY PARENTS!" Yelled Remus. Hearing the voices, the one piece not producing the magical field, the king, swiveled around to face them. It simply stood there, while Remus, Sirius, and James fumbled through their brains trying to come up with some sort of spell. They were joined by Allyn, Lily, and Mary. After just a moment, though it seemed like an eternity, they heard a roar from outside.

"What was that?" Screamed Allyn. But his question was soon answered when a full grown tiger burst through kitchen window.

"RUN!" Yelled a few of them, and they shot off in different directions. The tiger was slow moving on the kitchen floor, and everyone made it outside, and onto their brooms. James, however, had left his in Remus's bedroom. 

"Help!" He screamed as the tiger made it's way back outside. Remus swooped low and gripped James's wrist with his right hand, lifting him just out of the range of the tiger's swiping claws. But Remus was not strong; the coming moon was no help. James's weight pulled him so far the Remus was upside-down on his broom, and losing his grip. And soon it was lost.

And James plummeted to the ground, towards the tiger, he could think of only one thing.

"_Wingardium leviosa_!" He yelled, wand pointed at his own chest. He felt like he had hit a wall and bounced, jerked suddenly back into the air. He was falling fast again, however, and the tiger was waiting. Suddenly he saw the open window and remembered a fairly advanced spell, and took a chance.

"_Accio_ broomstick!" And much to his joy, the broomstick came flying out of the window. Though much to his sorrow, it lost steam just out of the window and plummeted, sticking itself into the grass. James put his feet out as they neared the tiger's claws, but Sirius now took a swoop at saving him. 

And rescue him he did, though he did not accomplish what he had hoped. Sirius could not grip James's hand in the time he swooped by, and simply knocked him behind the tiger. James dashed away quickly, and Sirius's flying kept the tiger busy. It was not long, however, until the tiger stopped batting at Sirius, and lunged after James. 

"_Accio _broomstick!" James yelled, and the broom took another pitiful lunge towards him. The tiger was nearing.

"_Accio _broomstick!" He yelled again, a cramp stinging his side. The broomstick moved another few feet.

"_ACCIO _BROOMSTICK!" He screamed as the tiger neared him, and he neared the broomstick. The stick gave it's best shot so far, and came near enough the when James leapt into the air, James's farthest extended foot landed on it. 

As the tiger pounced, James wrapped his other foot under the stick, and shot into the air, his shoe ripped and his foot cut by the tiger's claw. James dropped into the normal broomstick-flying position, and ascended higher into the air. There was a new problem however.

"DRAGON!" Yelled Allyn, fleeing towards the ground as the small fiery winged beast flew at him. Unbelievable, thought James. As he shot in the opposite direction of the dragon, he spotted two new figures on the ground. A massive snake (a basilisk, though he didn't know the name), and a huge scorpion. It suddenly clicked with James. 

To the surprise of all in the air, the dragon suddenly ignored the broomstick-riders and landed on the ground. Cloaked figures dashed out from the wood. 

"IT'S A METAMAGUS!" Yelled James as loud as he could. 

"We've got to stop it!" Yelled the nearest person, Remus.

"No! We can't stop the beasts! We have a spell for the Metamagus!" James said. But Sirius had already begun a nosedive at the group.

"NO!" A volley of blasts came from the group, and the dragon shot fire into the air. Sirius snapped out of his brave and stupid dive, and pulled out of the way, and swooped back into the air. 

The sight was grotesque. The four wizards on the ground began to partially morph; James could see the snake head, the tiger arms, the dragon legs and wings, the scorpion tail and legs. When he realized they were about to activate the spell, he couldn't help but watch. Four blasts of light shot from the four _expertanimi_, focusing on the Metamagus. Light shot from the Metamagus in the center, and in a flash all four animals were dead. 

The four _expertanimi_ dashed into the woods, and the Metamagus's wings and arms burst the cloak open.

"I'm going in!" Yelled Allyn. James, Sirius, and Remus quickly shot after him.

"_Desmetus ma-_" But Allyn was cut off. A hand had sprouted from the scaly chest of the beast, a wand in hand.

"_Avadra kedavra_!" Came a slimy voice from the beast, before Allyn could finish his own incantation. The green light shot directly at Allyn's chest, and he fell off his broom, limp, to the ground. 

"ALLYN! NO!" Sobbed Lily. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" Screamed James, Sirius, and Remus in unison. Unfortunately, two missed, and one blast merely severed one scorpion leg. The beast shot into the air, and the boys had swerve in all directions to avoid the massive tail. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" Came another chorus, this time from Lily and Mary. These were more accurate. Both struck directly at the beast's chest, and it fell backwards, tumbling to the ground. It gave a high pitched wail and thrashed for a moment, but then stopped.

"It's dead!" Yelled Sirius, and everyone flew in at low level to view it. James was first, hovering over Allyn's body. He lifted himself up, so that his feet were on the broom, trying to get a better look. 

"JAMES!" Came a scream from behind him. He turned his head to see a beast leaping at him from the sky. Just above 

it's head he saw it; the full moon.


	11. Chapter Eleven: The Gens de Mortigenae

Author's Note: The characters that belong to JK Rowling belong to JK Rowling

Thanks to SilverWind for the help proofreading, and my brother for miscellaneous stuff. 

Also, a note on pronunciation: Necrognest is pronounced "Neck-ro-nyay"

****

Chapter 11: The Gens de Mortigenae

James leapt of the broom, sending it one direction and him in the other. Between the two came Remus, in his werewolf state, landing on the ground at the same time James did. 

"_Remus_! It's me!" James yelled as he ran away from him. But Remus simply roared and shot off after James. 

"James!" He looked up to see Lily and Sirius racing towards him, but from the opposite direction.

"HE'LL TEAR ME APART!" He yelled. Sirius and Lily realized what he meant, and simultaneously levitated him out of Remus's reach. They then grabbed him; Sirius's left hand and Lily's right, holding James between them.

"Someone's coming from the forest!" Screamed Mary. It was true, the _expertanimi_ were again coming out of the forest. They were moving quickly though, and stopped only a few feet from the edge of the wood. They raised their wands and performed some spell on the fallen Metamagus, which now began to stir.

The Metamagus then shot into the air suddenly.

"Fly me to my broom!" Yelled James. They brought him that far (Remus was just a few yards away) and dropped him. Before James could reach his broom, however, a blast of fire shot from the Metamagus's mouth and shattered the broom into a flaming heap of wood scraps. James immediately shot into a different direction, still avoiding Remus. He spotted Allyn.

He quickly ran towards where Allyn and his broom were laying. James shivered so wildly that his legs nearly gave way, but he passed by Allyn and yelled,

"Up!" The broom rose into the air, and James jumped onto it, taking off just out of Remus's reach again. It took a moment to adjust to the slower speed of Allyn's Tinderblast, but soon James was flying smoothly again. The Metamagus had shot straight into the air, and was now diving back towards the ground. The four remaining, Lily, Mary, James, and Sirius, were circling high and away from the wizard, however. 

In their moment of panic and running from Remus because he was a threat to their lives, the group had unfortunately forgotten for the moment that he was also their friend. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" Screamed all four, but the Metamagus was flying too agilely for them to accurately hit it. It swooped down over Remus, and with it's tiger arms, grasped the werewolf, and enclosed him into a cage of it's scorpion arms. It flew low along the ground for a bit (still dodging the spells coming from the group), then folding its wings in and landed onto its feet, running into the forest.

"Off your brooms!" Yelled James, and the four swooped in to low level, and leapt off their brooms, letting them crash were they may, and dashed into the forest after the beast.

The Metamagus was thick-legged, and lumbered relatively slowly for its long stride. The trees were dense as well, and though it blasted many out of the way with it's explosive fireballs, the ground was still very uneven, and it had to dodge many a burnt stump. 

Those disadvantages, however, effected the four as well. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" Yelled James. The shot hit the beast's wing, and blew apart at the joint. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" Came Sirius, but his hit a tree.

"_Desmetus magus!_" Chorused the girls, but both missed again. Just as he was preparing to send another blast at the Metamagus, James tripped on a root and fell flat on his face.

"Keep going!" He quickly yelled, and scrambled to his feet in search of his wand. 

"Where'd it go!?" He screamed, grabbing stick and branch to no avail. Suddenly he heard a clop-clop and an odd neigh. He looked up. There, standing before him, was a large stag, his wand in it's mouth.

"That's mine." He said calmly, and reached out and took it. The stag then bent down onto its knees and nodded its head backwards.

"You don't mean..." The stag neighed impatiently again, and James got the idea.

"Alright...." He hopped apprehensively on the animal's back, and it immediately shot up and galloped quickly in the direction of the party. It was much quicker than the group or the Metamagus, and quickly it had passed the former and gotten even with the latter.

"_Desmetus magus!_" Said James, and successfully tore off another wing of the beast. Unfortunately, that in no way hindered it. It's ugly snake head turned to James, and snapped. It looked back to watch where it was going, but then returned quickly to launch another fireball at James. 

With his hand on the stag's shoulder, James guided it quickly away from the fire and back to where he wanted it; it was strangely a smoother ride than any broom he had ridden. 

"_Desmetus magus!_" James roared again, and this time one tiger arm was knocked away. Three more from James's friends behind left it only with its scorpion legs. Without the tiger arms, however, it had lost it's grip on Remus.

"Stay with the Metamagus!" Yelled James and he galloped off after Remus. "Remus!" He said as the stag pulled even with him. 

"Remus, can you hear me?" But the werewolf slashed at the stag, which dodged artfully under James's guidance. The stag, on its own now, thrashed its antlers at Remus, knocking him on his side. 

"No!" He said. The stag trotted around to face Remus, who now leapt to his feet and charged. Once near enough, he lunged, but it was matched by the older and much larger stag. The stag pushed Remus back with its hooves, causing Remus to flee in the opposite direction. 

"_Petrificus totalus!_" Came a voice. Remus froze completely.

"Quickly, Lord Necrognest!" Three cloaked figures dashed towards Remus. 

"The potion, Lord!" Came another.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Yelled James. The figures looked up as their wands were knocked from their hands. Before they could reach them, however, the stag leapt past Remus and knocked them over. Wand raised, James dismounted and neared the sprawled three. However, the three quickly jumped up and reached their wands.

"_Gens de Moritgenae!_" They said in unison, and in a flash of green light, they were vanished. 

"_Mobililupus_." Muttered James, and he rode the stag back to where is friends were, Remus magically in tow.

"It's Vedol!" Yelled Sirius as James approached. And much to his shock, their sat Ian Vedol, naked, trying to cover himself as best he could. James looked away quickly from his disgustingly pale skin. Sirius was holding Vedol's wand.

"You stay here. I'll get back to the house and send a post to someone...Professor Dumbledore, or Scuro." James quickly trotted off, Remus still frozen and suspended. When he came to Allyn's body, he lifted that magically as well. James remembered where Remus had shown was his safe-room, and James deposited him there, just in time, as he came out of the enchantment just as James secured the door. He laid Allyn's body on a couch. 

The chessmen were no longer suspending Mr. and Mrs. Lupin. They said that they had just been released; James guessed that when the cloaked _expertanimi_ had left, the influence wore off. The Lupins went out and collected Vedol, and brought everyone in the house, while James sent the Lupin owl to Albus Dumbledore, hoping he was still at the Hogwarts Castle.

Sure enough, within an hour, Professor Dumbledore arrived by Floo with the owl. Ian Vedol was expelled on the spot, and detained by Ministry of Magic officials who arrived minutes later. There were at least a dozen; they searched the house, gathered information from all present, examined the chessmen, searched the wood, and best of all, discovered that Allyn Synwyd was not dead; but knocked out severely. Professor Dumbledore correctly assumed that even with dark training, a young wizard like Ian could never fully perform such an advanced killing spell. 

According to school records it was found the Ian Vedol's only listed parent was a man by the same name, though after exhaustive searches he was never found to be living anywhere in the British Isles. 

"Professor Dumbledore?" James said as Dumbledore stood in the family room, pondering.

"Yes, James?" He said, his somber, contemplative face changed to a cheery one.

"I was wondering...do you know what _Gens de Mortignae_ is?" Albus nodded, he had heard from James's account of the story about the incantation.

"I know only its translation; Clan of Death-Givers. There is no spell of which I know that includes such an incantation. It is obviously dark, secret magic." James nodded.

"Why did they want Remus?" He asked again.

"Ah, yes. You see, James, a human who can turn into a werewolf would be an incredible asset to any evil wizard seeking to do harm. Do you know the Imperio curse?" James nodded. 

"And at such a young age; much training could be

given." Albus looked deep into James's eyes. 

"You saved Remus tonight, James. He would have been worse than dead if not for your bravery." James looked out through the sitting room window and out at the forest.

James thought to himself, _I had some help._

****

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A/N: Well, there it is, the (short!) final chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! I'm done with the sequel, "The Durmstrang Professor", and I'm posting chapters as I finish editing. It's id# 1083279! Please please PLEASE read both, review, and tell a friend! (If you liked it, anyway :-P) Criticism is accepted!


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